Memories of Darkness
by GradGirl2010
Summary: They've accepted the darkness. Controlling it? There is still a long road ahead. Darkness, Memories, Heartless, and now Nobodies. With Namine restoring a sleeping Sora's memories, Riku and Alirah need to keep him safe from the approaching Organization. But how can they save Sora when his memories are on the run, and their own memories of him are starting to fade?
1. Nine Years Coming

**Memories of Darkness**

 **They've accepted the darkness. Controlling it? There is still a long road ahead. Darkness, Memories, Heartless, and now Nobodies. With Namine restoring a sleeping Sora's memories, Riku and Alirah need to keep him safe from the approaching Organization. But how can they save Sora when his memories are on the run, and their own memories of him are starting to fade?**

 **xxx**

 **Nine Years Coming**

 **This is a hard one to write for. 358/2 days is a super long game, and not a lot is explained outside of the Organization. Like what Riku is doing, or what Namine and the others are doing. Guess this is where I get creative.**

 **Sorry to keep deleting and reposting. But I need to make this right or I drive myself mad. Hope you guys enjoy.**

 **xxx**

It's crisp. The air flowing through The Land of Departure. So fresh. The aroma of the fresh spring grass and flowers, the trees and ponds - the world where Keyblade Wielders become Masters held a majesty none can describe, or compare to the lands of others. The mountain peaks that hue when the sunsets, and gleam in the bright morning. The way the moon's glow is cast from one horizon to the next, making the home keyblade wielders home glisten. The gentle laps of water flowing in a calm stream. The whistles of air making the trees and grass dance. The clear skies always at their zenith. The butterflies, rabbits, and other creatures traversing the grounds. The way the world came together. It was breathtaking. Truly, no world could ever hope to match it. Nor could the people who inhabit those worlds compare to those who train in The Land of Departure. No one...could ever replace…

 **xxx**

"Hey kiddo!" Terra lifted Alirah off her spot on the stair, spinning her in the air. Her fat cheeks colored like a rose as she smiled. Her ruby red eyes glistening like jewels as her brother held her in his arms. "I've made some tweaks to my armor! Wanna see?!"

"Heck yeah!" Alirah giggled. Terra nodded. He set her down. He drew her attention to his shoulder armor. Without further delay, he slapped the center with a palm, emerging in full body armor in a flash of light.

"Ta-da!" He gave her a grandstanding bow. Alirah applauded him. He added a brown tint, accentuating the red and auburn shades. "What do you think?"

"You look great, Terra! So cool!" She sparkled. Terra strutted his stuff for her, exciting new cheers with every pose. And a few laughs he'll treasure. Alirah admiration started to cool into jealousy. Ven, Aqua, and Terra. Eraqus and Xehanort. Everyone has cool looking armor. While she's stuck in a dress, pigtails, and sandals. Not to mention she's wielding a keyblade two sizes too big for her.

"When do you think I'll get my armor?!" She pouted with pursed lips.

Terra laughed, lovingly ruffling her hair. "Maybe when you're taller than my hip."

Alirah puffed her cheeks angrily. She shoved his big hand away. "I'M NOT THAT SHORT, YOU IDIOT!" Her pigtails bounced.

"You're not tall either!"

"Careful! I might be taller than you someday!"

"I sincerely doubt that." He pinched her cheeks adoringly. "No way you'll pass me up!"

"GRR…!" Alirah sprang to attack.

"Hold up!" Ven caught her from behind, throwing Alirah onto his shoulders. "Don't take it personally, Ali. Terra's height is all he has going for him." He winked.

"Hey!" Terra put a fist to his puffed chest. "I'll have you know I'm an accomplished Keyblade Master."

" _In training_!" Aqua surprised him, poking his cheek. "You're a Keyblade Master _in training_. Don't promote yourself."

"What? I can't massage my ego?" He shrugged.

" _Massage_ it. Don't overfeed." Ven corrected him.

"Oh!" Alirah wiggled off Ven. She ran up to Terra, squinting hard with a hand on her chin. She poked certain part inquisitively. It all made sense now. "That's why his armors looks so tight!"

"WHAT?!" Aqua and Ven doubled over laughing. "IT IS NOT!" Alirah laughed so hard at his voice cracking she fell over on her back. She, Ven, and Aqua were pounding at the ground and stair pedestals. Their stomachs stitched from laughing so hard. "HEY! COME GUYS! IT'S NOT TIGHT!"

"What is all of this commotion out here?" Keyblade Master Eraqus chortled at his students. Looming behind him, like a dark cloud encroaching the sun, was Keyblade Master Xehanort. As he watched the young one regain their breath to explain, the smile he held contained an unmistakable twinge of revulsion.

"Nothing, Master!" Alirah and Ven bustled.

"Nothing at all!" Terra and Aqua grinned.

 _ **xxx**_

 _We laughed, and laughed. Terra dropped the armor and finally gave in. Ven and I fell over choking we were laughing so hard. Aqua and Terra laughed harder trying to calm us down. We were so happy. Every day for as long as I can remember, we were happy. The good times seemed like they'd never end. We lived each day encouraging one another. Being each other's strength and drive. When one of us failed, we all failed. When one was having troubles, the others would work hard to support and help them. You'd never find a crew of friends closer. Ignorant, though we were, of the golden eyed monster waiting to tear us apart._

 _It stole our father from us - Master Eraqus. Clouded views and rough around the edges though he was, he was an admirable man. He raised us for the time we were with him. Taught us to always stand strong, be confident in our strength, and always to keep those we cherish in our hearts. He would make us swear each night, as we gazed up to the stars, that we would forever follow the light, and combat the darkness. He was a good man. A righteous man. Even though his views of the darkness were misconstrued by his own fears. Baffling still in his ashamed Keyblade. Why? Why were you ashamed of your master? What has he done to earn such a repulse from you? Is it because of his ill gotten feelings towards darkness? Or...did he do something I wasn't aware of? Nevertheless, he was and is a good man. Yes, I held a twinge of resentment. That was no secret. However, it never came close to outweighing my respect. And in that respect, I held a fury when discovering it was Xehanort who ended him, and was eternally grateful Terra was cleared._

 _We left our home one day. Determined and driven by different paths to prove ourselves. Terra and I - we wanted to prove our master wrong. That the dark powers we possessed aren't a strength to be feared, and that it would never consume us. Aqua and Ven? I can't say. Originally, I thought they just wanted to bring Terra and I home. After a while, that wasn't the case. When we all met again on Radiant Garden, there was...a tear. One that lingered long after they had departed. Terra, Aqua, and Ven left to finish their journeys, and this rift started to grow between them. Even on the opposite side of the universe I could sense it. This overwhelming polarizing force driving a wedge that weakened their bond. Xehanort's iron grip choking them with the very connection that binds them. Luring them to the Keyblade Graveyard where he ended their journey._

 _Granted, I only know their journey ended in the Keyblade Graveyard from what the old man's shadow told me in Castle Oblivion. I know not what led them there. Also, though I know he is the cause, there is a void in this tale. A huge one. I lost track of my three. They were...beyond that of a child. So much that, I continue to wonder why Aqua's Armor was with Terra that night. And how had Xehanort managed to take possession of Terra's heart and body. No. Not his heart. Terra's heart was still his own. It was just his body._

 _I still don't know how Xehanort got them to the Keyblade Graveyard. And I still have no idea why Master Eraqus was killed, or why his Keyblade was ashamed of him. What scares me the most - where are Ven and Aqua? Aside from Master Eraqus, none of them are dead. They're still alive. I can sense it. If i hadn't left my Wayfinder with Donald, it would tell me the same. Aqua, Terra, and Ven are still alive. They're just...hiding? Resting? I don't know. But they're out there._

 _What exactly happened at the Graveyard? That's what I must find out. One day I'll solve the mystery. Then, maybe, we can all be together again. For now...well...there's a story to tell. One I'm sure you're familiar with. It'll be the backbone for our journey this time around._

 **xxx**

"Hmm…" Hard black eyes shot from an opened book, boring a hole into a nearby wall. Aged hands ran pensively down a thick, split down the middle beard. Grumbles vibrated the back of the throat. "This...bodes ill…" A distinguished, baritone accented voice rumbled perturbed. Blue robes and a pointed wizard's hat reacted to a shift in the air. A stifling essence suffocating the small study. The essence seeps from the outside. The harsh black eyes gazed out from the star and moon shaped windows.

A sky of navy, salmon, and lighter shade of blue surrounded a tower on a green patch of stranded land. The stars twinkling in the array filled sky bore an unusual light. They would dim drastically, only to brighten for a fifth of a second. The sky itself also shared in the unnerving shade. "A new darkness is encroaching. A likes of which I have not encountered myself." The elder gentleman pondered aloud. He has never sensed a darkness quite like this one. One that presents a danger to the balance of the worlds, while its own presence is next to naught. He has sensed a familiar power like this before. "Castle Oblivion. The base for those creatures constructed of a human shell."

The Nobodies, he believes they called themselves. Husks that are abandoned when a strong hearted person becomes a heartless. He never noticed them before. But now, for some reason, their presence is more pronounced. Are they making a move? Are they marshalling their forces? Regardless of their current activities, it is their future endeavors that bother him.

"Alirah. Riku. Mickey. Hiano." He muttered the names of individuals he worried for constantly. "Be vigilant!" Thick brows furrowed sharply. "The battles to come will be the toughest you have faced."

 **xxx**

 _Once upon a time, nine years in the making, there existed a world named Radiant Garden. A simple title that did very little justice. It was a world basked in radiant light. Warmth, love, and happiness spread from one end to the other, lifting the already high spirits of its people. It was a world for refugees, for families, all seeking a place to grow and reshape lives they believed over. This is not to say the world didn't have its own shade of darkness. Everywhere and everyone has darkness. But...it was different. In Radiant Garden...the darkness seemed incapable of touching. Or so I thought._

 _Led by a brilliant researcher of the heart, eight young and talented individuals sought to better themselves and the world by joining a man named Ansem the Wise in order to better understand the heart, and all it's functions. Well, actually - 1, 2, yeah - only two were researchers. Albeit one was a little on the young side. Three were security. And the last three were absolute goofballs. But they all stuck together like family. Had their own share of arguments too. By looking at them, you would never guess the good times would end._

 **xxx**

"LEA! I swear! You don't give me my Keyblade I'm going to light a fireball under your ass!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there, SHORTIE!" A red headed boy kept a small blue haired girl at bay by the forehead. "Such language doesn't become a someone so young, Alirah!" He mocking dangling the keyblade - Serpents Cry - inches out of her reach, "Especially when she wants her toy back~" Two guards - Aeleus and Dilan - standing by watched the spectacle from their posts at the massive front doors, trying very hard not to laugh.

"Should we not step in, Dilan?"

"And shorten the only real entertainment of our day, Aeleus?"

"Hm, yeah, you're right." Aeleus chuckled.

Alirah smirked brazenly. She puffed through her nose. There was a puff. Lea stared deadpanned, then smelt something cooking. His nose lured him behind him. "YAAAH-HAAA!" The boy leapt several feet in the throwing his hands and Alirah's keyblade in the air.

Alirah nonchalantly caught the keyblade, savoring Lea running around the courtyard like a chicken without a head. He jumped, patted his butt, and danced a jig. It didn't snuff the flame, but it sure brought a smile to Alirah.

Lea ran to a fountain and threw his butt in. He moaned in absolute relief hearing the fire evaporate. The fountain might as well have been a sauna. He relaxed with his arms draped to the fountain's second bowl, refusing to move until the smell of pork chops wasn't in the air.

"Well done, Alirah." Dilan and Aeleus applauded. "You're coming along nicely with your magic." Aeleus commended.

"Now if only her swordplay would improve." Dilan playfully insulted.

"You want improvement?" Alirah bounced her brow impishly.

"Hoe mama, that feels good." Lea crooned.

"I'm sure the burn to your ego will hurt later." An angered vein popped in Lea's brow. His neck clinked like a cog as he stiffly grimaced at the blue haired menace known as Isa - so called best friend. "This is karma for taking her blade."

"Aw, c'mon! You and Braig take it all the time and she never lights your ass on fire!" Lea complained, stewing in the insult of his injury.

"Because 'we' can't hang onto it for longer than three seconds! AND," Isa threw up a finger, silencing Lea's impending protest, "We're not stupid enough to try more than once."

"Lucky for me!" Alirah extended her keyblade, gathering a flaring fireball to the tip. "Braig has said I need a 'moving' target." The fires glow outlined her true evil.

"Hold on! Alirah!" Lea scrambled up the fountain. Alirah brought her keyblade up.

"Alirah..." She froze. The fire snuffed out like a candle. Alirah laughed nervously, turning to find Even and Braig scolding her with a stare. "Unless you plan to reimburse Master Ansem for that fountain..." Even directed a finger down. Alirah groaned in defeat, putting her keyblade away.

"You should have let her." Ienzo grumbled emerging from behind a tree with a book in hand, "That fountain is an eyesore."

"The kid's right!" Braig knelt behind Alirah, clamped his hands to her hands to the keyblade. "Go one, shortstuff, give it a good boom and I'll buy ya ice cream! Consider it a birthday present."

"My birthday was five months ago." She furrowed her brow.

"And I never got you anything! So shoot." He encouraged.

"Hmph. Okay." Alirah flipped the blade tip to Braig's face.

"HOLD ON!" Even and everyone ducked.

"FLARE!" A blinding flash sent Braig sprawling to the ground. Even and the other blinked in bewildered amazement. Alirah erected two fingers, impishly sticking out her tongue.

"Okay...yeah...I deserve that." He was seeing spots when the haze cleared. He coughed up black smoke. His hair frizzed everywhere. Alirah, Lea, and the others nearly fell over laughing so hard. "Geez, kid, I shudder to think what your powers will be like when you're older."

"I'll be kicking all of your butts to the curb." She boasted.

"That happens," Dilan and Aeleus approached, "I'll shave my sideburns." Dilan stroked one side.

"Then keep that razor handy, Dill." Alirah warned. She stroked her blade, marveling in the nicks and kinks. "Because I'm going to be stronger than all of you."

 **xxx**

 _Never in my entire life have I regretted my words more than I did that day. I always knew I'd become stronger through the years. It sickens me that Maleficent had a hand in my progress, but it was necessary when Riku and the others came into my life. I discovered a new reason to fight. In doing so...I killed three of the seven people I've longed to see. The only closure - besides having charms fashioned as their weapons - is knowing our fight was because of the venomous words of another._

 _When HE reared his head on my new home - Xehanort, wearing my brothers body - the darkness that consumed him would soon consume more that I loved, and take all of Radiant Garden. While I may blame others for taking me far away, I never mustered the nerve to return to them. To find my seven and tell them how sorry I was for leaving. I just...I just couldn't face HIM. I couldn't face Xehanort. Not while he was in Terra._

 _My cowardice cost me more than I realized. By his lies, Xehanort has turned my best friends not only into Nobodies, but also has turned them against me. Lea...AXEL may be M.I.A, but there are still three more unaccounted for. I know for certain that we'll be having a reunion very soon. And we will be forced to cross blades. That doesn't mean I won't try to reason with them. I still hold on to a blind hope that I can rekindle our friendship. But...that part of me in the back of my heart knows it isn't meant to be. That, should I choose to meet with them, it will be for the last time. There's no going around it._

 _Heh...heh-heh. So be it. Nine years is a long time. My legs are tired from running._

 **xxx**

"Xemnas..." The name rolled off the tongue, carrying a nauseating taste. A gust of a breeze wafted blue locks of hair in the moonlight. A long black cloak flapping animatedly. Boots planted in tall green grass. Leaves brushed past a pair of vibrant crimson eyes glaring at the stars - the other worlds. Those she had yet to travel are her targets. Because, beyond those stars, the man wearing Terra's face is waiting for her. The last remnant of Master Xehanort. "Be ready..." Her fingers squeezed Oblivion's hilt. Her glare sharpened like a blade, piercing the night, "Because I'm coming for you!" She extended her blade to the stars.

 **xxx**

Auburn eyes opened. A chin propped to a knuckle, lips parted in a malicious grin. "I'll be waiting."

 **So much for the introductory. Let's move on to the prelude.**


	2. Let The Hunt Begin

**Let the Hunt Begin**

 **Ok kids. Moving on.**

 **xxx**

 **Day 52 of 358/2**

So many worlds existence. Many of them have yet to be discovered. What stories they hold, people they nurture, histories of their creation - many of it remains a mystery. Amongst those worlds, there is one that - in every literal sense - should not exist. Yet it stands in the twilight, trapped in the void between darkness and light. As do its inhabitants who masterfully wander the very twilight.

An ebony sky wept perpe raindrops upon vacant street. Flooding the alleyways of a dismally lit town. Towers teasing to scar the starless night alight by lights emanating from windows made the rushing winds howl in despair. Lightning clashed with roaring thunder, entangled in a dangerous battle across the barren heavens. The empty cities only chills came from the tormenting thunder's booming. The water flooding the streets rippled, reflecting an imperfect silhouette of the heart shaped moon. Unmoving and unnerving, the moon rested in the center of the sky, casting an ominous glow upon the soulless world. A world that was never meant to be, but still is. A shell of a former self.

Hailing as the higher power of the world was a marble, pearl grey castle nesting at the top of a glistening aurora slope. A sigil unlike any other was engraved on parts of the towers. A stretched, elongated, and jagged heart. Three pikes as the head of the sigil. A rotating pike serving as the epicenter for the castle's hovering kept it aloft a cataclysmically forged crater, severing the castle from the rest of the city. Within were hollow halls echoing with the voices of the nonexistent. Souls lost from reality desperately clinging to matter which gave them purpose. Creatures of white and grey - erratic in their movements, enigmatic in the motives - loomed around the towers, and throughout the corridors like disembodied spirits. Haunting the emptiness.

From atop the highest tower the desolate town was able to admired in all its glory. A grey haired man stood on the very platform of that highest tower. Hands planted to the short wall, he leaned forward, an aspiratious glimmer in his golden orange eyes. His smirk salivated with hunger. Empty wind graced his darkly tanned skin, gathering up his silver grey locks. The man tilted his head to the much wanted breeze. Those determined orbs locked on the heart shaped moon, melting with yearning for the salvation it taunted him with. He stretched a black gloved, desperate hand for the stagnant star. He curled his fingers, grasping a goal far, far out of his reach. He placed the clenched fist to the empty void where a heart once resided.

"So close, Kingdom Hearts. Yet still you vex me with from your ebony throne." He recited, mourning his sole daunting failure. Lowering his head he slipped into sorrow. A single thought came to mind. _Are you as far from my grasp as well, sister?_

"Lord Xemnas." A golden eyed man with moon blue hair approached the mournful man, bowing in respect for his master.

"Saix." The man called Xemnas uttered his name with notable pleasure. "Your timing is as impeccable as always." Xemnas's second in command, Saix. A man as mysterious as the moon that torments him. Empty wind wafted his black cloak.

"What troubles you?" Saix wondered. His master's displeasure was like a beacon. The same concern resonated from the six others behind the blue haired man. They too were dressed in cloaked attire. Their nervous expression foretold their knowledge of something amiss. And they were right to be so.

Xemnas turned to face his onlooking followers. Their spines stiffened them to attention. Their scrutinizing stares demanded answers. He granted them a somber expression, all the while belying the glee bubbling inside. "A most ill of tidings has befallen us, my friends…" He spread his arms welcomingly, approaching the confused crowd. "Members of our Organization sent to Castle Oblivion have forever faded into the nothingness that bred them."

"What? No way!" A skinny teenage boy, Demyx, gasped.

"I am afraid so." Xemnas shook his head. "Reluctantly, our companions are no longer with us."

"Axel…" The youngest boy uttered hoarsely. Deep blue eyes dimming. The hooded girl beside him remained unphased by the news. She was confused by the boy she knew as Roxas. _Who was this Axel he worried for_ , she wondered.

"How is this possible?" A platinum blond man, Luxord, rumbled. He rapidly shuffled cards between palms, quickening the pace in sync with his growing irritation. He flipped two bearing pictures of Axel and Marluxia, holding them between his fingers. "Marluxia and Axel were the strongest of the six sent. No one could have feasibly dispatched them." He folded them back to the deck. Four more depicting Larxene, Vexen, Zexion, and Lexaeus were displayed. "These four were wild cards but were reliable. Lexaeus being the least likely to disappear easily."

"I am in agreement with Luxord." The muscular member with wild sideburns, Xaldin, grunted. "Foul play must be afoot. A traitor in their midst." Xigbar, Saix, and Demyx exchanged sour glares. Demyx and Xigbar backed away from Saix. The two younger members remained rather impassive.

Xemnas raised a hand, silencing his fellow Nobodies. "While your apprehensions are understandable, I urge you all to bear an important factor in mind." Xemnas rolled his gaze over the tension resonating from his underlings. Dwindling cohesiveness will only mar their chances at a victory he's envisioned. "Interlopers who eluded my sight infiltrated the Castle. Because of them our numbers have been dropped by half."

"Interlopers? Such as whom?" Luxord huffed. He shot a glare to Saix.

Operations within Castle Oblivion were restricted to a need to know basis. Common knowledge was there were signs of a disturbance, but nothing had been reported. Other than Saix, nobody else knew what was happening behind those walls. Or, the fact, that intruders had invaded those mysterious halls. Saix and Xemnas were privy to daily reports of the true happenings within those walls.

"Who would be stupid enough to attack our members?" Xigbar guffawed.

"The dusks whisper to me in my solitude." Xemnas touched two fingers to his ear, tracing the outer lobe tenderly. "And in their whispers the name of the keybearer, Sora, and the servants of the King, Donald and Goofy, touched my ear."

Roxas and Xion's eyes widened. _Sora…_ The name echoed in their minds.

"I know of this boy." Saix announced pensively. He stroked his chin. "He too is a chosen wielder of the weapon known as The Keyblade. With it, he vanquished the Dark Witch, Maleficent." This news caused the group to gasp in awe. A boy, barely peeking into teen years, as strong as a centuries old witch. The concept brought a malicious smile to Saix's lips. _Keybearers seem to grow more powerful with each wielder._ "Quite the powerful young man. Though not nearly so strong as to defeat six members. Regardless of aid from King Mickey's lapdogs."

"True." Xemnas full heartedly agreed. He approved of Saix's insight. "While the boy may possess power beyond his control, two others proved more than capable." He erected two fingers, wiggling them dauntingly, "And they too wield dangerous keyblades."

Kids running around with keyblades. Xaldin, Xigbar, and Saix were having a strange sense of deja vu. "Who are these two kids? They sound like absolute riots." Xigbar twisted anxiously. He itched the scar running down his cheek. He hadn't had a good time since the kid who gave him that scar.

"One is a boy named Riku. A warrior who walks boldly in darkness. Cuts through it with ease. The heartless within tremble in his wake." Xaldin and Xigbar liked the sound of the boy already. He will provide great sport. "The other is a young lady whom a few of us are familiar." Xemnas narrowed his sights on Saix, Xigbar, and Xaldin. "Alirah." Their stiffened spines drew a twinkle in Xemnas's eye.

Xaldin and Xigbar lost their breath. Looking at each other they saw the utter disbelief in each other's eyes. After nine long years Alirah finally resurfaced. They always assumed she was far away. The worst case scenario: she died some time after she left Radiant Garden. For all intensive purposes, she might as well be. After all this time, she was close by the whole time. Before they could reminisce, Saix's grinding fingers balled in a fist. He growled animally in the back of his throat. His upper lip quivered, revealing protruding fangs. Hatred burned in the pit of his core.

"Saix..." Xaldin rumbled.

"Why are you allowing her to walk freely?" Saix snarled disdainfully. The exception of Xigbar and Xaldin, The Organization member flinched at Saix's outburst. He's always so in control. "How can you stand by and willingly allow her to live?!" Xigbar and Xaldin were horrified. He sounded as if he wanted Alirah to stay _dead._ They had no idea why. Well…that wasn't entirely true. There was a reason. But not one they openly accepted as the truth. They couldn't believe Alirah capable of…no.

"Who is this Alirah?" Luxord inquired intrigued. "Another wild card?"

"Alirah is a necromancer." Saix answered grimly. "A being with control over the souls of man, and who can wield darkness like a second blade." He stared at his palm, only able to imagine what it must feel like to possess such power.

"What's the difference between her and Riku?" Demyx asked.

Xemnas pondered the question for a moment. The similarities in Riku and Alirah's powers were amazingly similar. He chortled when the differences became glaringly obvious. "Riku can control the darkness within himself. In a sense he is a channeler of sorts. Cast it with ferocity, vanquishing his enemy, and shape it to defend him. He can walk amid the darkest abyss and not be adversely affected. He is able to sense beings within the darkness, and remove them." Riku sounded impressive. Now what was Alirah capable of? "Alirah's manipulation of darkness, however, is absolute. Pure, raw power deriving from her being. She thrives in darkness, feeds off it. It is, indeed, a second blade for her. She summons it at will, invoking powers that even I would think thrice about provoking. Darkness is at her beckon call." Demyx, Roxas, Luxord, and Xion gaped astonished at the description. Chills scaled their spines. It was almost too difficult to believe. Half their members faded into nothingness was proof enough of their strength.

"Those two will be troublesome." Saix declared. "Perhaps it is time they become one with the darkness for all eternity." Xaldin and Xigbar glanced shamefully to the ground.

"Agreed." Luxord sided with number VII. "We cannot risk them growing more powerful than they are."

"While Riku may pose a minimal threat, there is a danger to approaching Alirah." Xemnas swiftly added. The anxious Organization members froze in mid stride. Brows arched curiously. "Within Alirah lies a monster. Untapped, gradually awakening power she desperately tries to suppress. She acknowledges it as her inner Necromancer. A beast she cannot control and fears to unleash." Xigbar, Xaldin, and Saix ogled Xemnas nervously. Power that struck fear into Alirah's heart. That awakened an old memory or two. "In this state she is at her most powerful as well as her most vulnerable. Her powers flail out of control, exhaust her. Her mind and heart are trapped in an endless state of hysteria. What draws this monster forth is a mystery I trust you all will solve."

"You sound as if you wish to recruit her." Xaldin accused his leader curtly. Xemnas's silence confirmed his suspicions. "Why, may I ask?"

"Because she is far more dangerous as an enemy." Xemnas strode to the edge of the platform, bobbing his head in agreement. He folded his hands behind his back, gazing thoughtfully upon the moon. "I care nothing of what becomes of Riku. As for Alirah…" He lovingly purred her name. When he met the gazes of his underlings they saw the longing in his eyes, "I ask that none of you maim her too severely. I wish to deal with her myself." Xemnas's tan cheeks were seen widening in a malicious grin.

Saix bowed at his request and teleported from the platform in a black mass. Xigbar and Xaldin sighed dismally, teleporting out. This will be one reunion they weren't going to look forward to. Luxord and the others were trapped in confusion. There's a loop they weren't in. The four senior members made sure of that. Unfortunately it was premature to ask. Luxord motioned a hand to Demyx, Xion, and Roxas. When he vanished, the other three followed suit.

Left alone to his thoughts, Xemnas uncurled a hand. A crystal jewel rose rested in the center of his palm. He lovingly graced his fingertips over it, savoring how fragile the ornament felt. He put it to his nose, inhaling a small portion of blue hair entangled in the clip. Sweet bliss made his chest tingle. "Soon, dear sister, you will be by my side again." He kissed the jeweled rose.

 **xxx**

Alirah gasped flying forward, panting heavily in dripped sweat. An imprint flattened the grass where she had been sleeping. The black cloak Diz gave them kept the grass from bothering her while she slept. She darted her head in a panic, coming to realize she is still in the middle of nowhere in the plains. Mickey and Hiano were fast asleep by a tree. She smiled warmly, stretching her arms behind her head. She circled her neck, tilting her head back. The sky had yet to lose it's navy blue sheen. The stars and moon were as bright as they were hours ago. It was the middle of the night. She collapsed exhausted to her place, smashing a palm to her tired eyes. Her entire body felt like dead weight. What did she expect walking two days nonstop? She wondered if they'd ever make it out of there.

"That voice…" She whispered in a tired squeak, "So familiar." She touched the rose jewel Riku made for her some time ago. She reached for her Wayfinder. She was saddened it wasn't in her pocket. _Where did it-oh!_

 **Flashback**

 _Kingdom Heart's doors were on the verge of closing. Alirah tossed her Wayfinder. Donald caught it._

 **Flashback End**

 _That's right. I asked Donald to hang onto it for me._ She smiled warmly. Donald's face when she gave him her most treasured possession. It meant the world to him. For Goofy, it was a promise they would meet again.

" _Alirah...do ya...wanna go back to the castle with us?_ " Goofy's voice pricked her. Castle Oblivion's insanity wasn't enough to erase the burden that question placed on her. "I..."

"Alirah?" Riku quietly shuffled close so not to rouse Mickey or Hiano. "Are you alright?"

"To be honest I'm not sure." Her crimson eyes blinked dazedly at the sky. Goofy and Donald aside, other concerns voiced their opinions in her mind. "There are voices echoing in my mind. I know them. But I can't put them to a face."

Riku lied on his elbow, propping his head with intrigue. "Maybe Castle Oblivion affected our memories without us realizing it." He proposed. They spent the better part of three days traveling floors of a castle trapping them in their memories. To say the journey left them shaken would be an understatement. "A castle of memories - short term amnesia shouldn't be out of the question."

"No. I guess not." Now that she thinks about it, it does feel like there are holes in her head. There must be. She forgot Donald had her charm. "Did I ever tell you, after we left The Castle, this homesick feeling curdled my stomach?"

"No. I don't think so." He put a hand to her stomach, then to her head. She didn't have a fever. "Has it passed?"

"It has. But when it hit me I wanted to cry."

"Why?"

"I don't know." She closed her eyes, cupping her hands to her heart. "The last time I felt that way was when I first left The Land of Departure." The rhythmic beats coaxed her to a time she never believed sorrow or anguish existed. Back to her days in The Land of Departure. "It wasn't my home. But it was close. Two brothers who protected me. A sister who guided me. A master who was like a grandfather." Tears leaked past her closed corners. "When I left Castle Oblivion…it was as if I was leaving that all behind again…" Sadness trembled her voice. "Worst of all there was someone else there."

"There was?" Riku recollected all the scents he detected while in the castle. He only smelt The Organization, Ansem, and Xehanort. "I didn't sense them."

"But I did. It must have been Sora on the next floor." She dried her tears with her sleeve. When she thought of Sora being the only other person in the Castle, more tears flooded the grass. "It was only Sora…!" She sobbed heartbroken. "I swear I sensed Ven closed by. So close...I could have found him by opening a door!" She folded both arms over her face, failing to stifle her cries. Riku gently brought her into his arms, stroking her back as he let her cry into his chest.

"It's going to be alright, Alirah."

"I want them back, Riku!" Mickey and Hiano listened with one eye open. "Isa, Ienzo, Terra - I want to go back to when we were all happy! When Xehanort hadn't ruined everything!" No Keyblades.

"I know, Ali."

"My heart…" She clawed at her chest, "My heart hurts...so badly." She dug her fingers in Riku's back, pulling him closer. "Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me."

"I promise. You have my word, Ali." He rested his head on hers. _I swear. I'll make those bastards pay for hurting you._

 **To be continued**


	3. Voices in the Plains

**Voices in the Planes**

 **xxx**

 **Day 60 of 358/2**

 **(Riku POV)**

We've beaten them! It was an amazing feeling. After weeks of oppression under their thrall, Alirah and I finally defeated Ansem and Xehanort and cast them out of our hearts. Yeah...but...if we won...why do I still smell their stench? Why does it seem like...like Ansem and Xehanort are walking right beside us? In retrospect they might as well be. We didn't defeat them! I bet we didn't even wound them! The best we did was push them back. Fortified sandbags in front of our hearts against the vicious waves of their grip. Sandbags aren't meant to last. Just prolong the inevitable when the water breaks through. I'll wager, the second we let our guard down or slip into a moment of weakness, Xehanort and Ansem will reappear and this madness will begin again.

Ansem. He wormed his way into my heart after I foolishly allowed him entry. Desperate for power I sank into the darkness. Blind by jealousy and an obscured desire to save someone I accepted the darkness into my heart and simply sat idly by as it consumed me. I didn't care. The only thoughts in my mind at the time were, 'How can I become stronger? Will I be able to protect Alirah? What will happen if the Heartless sense weakness in me?' Strength! That's all that mattered. Ansem offered me the strength I long desired. Playing on my wounded pride at losing to Sora. He may have even known about how much I cared about Alirah. He knew I wanted to keep her safe. Protect her. And he nearly destroyed her. I nearly destroyed her.

Our adventure in Castle Oblivion pushed me to the brink of destruction. Struggling to keep Ansem consuming my heart, fighting to keep Alirah by my side - my body and mind were ready to give. All of my memories were of nothing but darkness and despair. A jealousy I felt towards Terra - or rather Alirah's admiration of Terra - made me erupt in rage at her. Not just Terra. Members of the Organization as well. Alirah knew a few of them from her days as a child. Anytime one of them appeared I felt cast out. They knew Alirah inside and out. I only just met her. It made me think I could never have the relationship with her that they have. A self laid welcome mat for Ansem. He preyed on the vulnerabilities my new found emotions brought forth. For days he had possession over my body. But this time I didn't let him in so easily. This time I fought and kicked him out. Or so I thought.

It took every last ounce of strength I had within me, but somehow I managed to defeat Ansem and sent him packing. When the final strike I dealt made him fade into the darkness my entire body felt so light. For once there wasn't this weight bearing down on my shoulders. Unfortunately Ansem didn't disappear quietly. He vowed to return and take my body as his own one day. I swore to him that I'd be ready. It wasn't going to happen. Yet, as I stood there savoring my victory, I felt that snake slithering around in my heart. That sickening, bubbling sensation in my heart. Ansem was still there. His power festering in my heart. I could sense Xehanort within Alirah as well.

We didn't defeat them! They weren't gone! All we did was delay them. I know they're lying in wait. Watching and listening - planning for the exact moment when they could finish what they started. That's never going to happen. So long as I breathe Ansem or Xehanort will never see the light of day. I just hope my heart plans to uphold the same vow. And I'm hoping, by putting distance between us and Castle Oblivion, Alirah would be at ease too. She seemed a little out of sorts ever since we left. I wonder what's wrong?

 **(Alirah POV)**

It was...strange. At the time, part of me desperately wanted to escape the hallowed halls of that damned castle. To distance myself from the floors of memories I buried long ago deep within my heart. Never to surface. The losses I suffered at the hands of the shadows lurking broke me. Losing Hiano, destroying my old friends - my heart shattered into so many pieces I became a shell. Reassembling it appeared impossible. Seeing the faces of those I hurt, hearing the voice of the ones I loved and lost - I lost track as to the number of times I wanted to give up. Give in to my despair and let the darkness take me. How I wanted to get out!

But now, as I trudge vehemently down the endless dirt laden road - a vast distance of evergreen grass blanketing steep hills - Riku, Hiano, and Mickey by my side, I find myself...missing Castle Oblivion. Odd, I know. But it's true. From the moment I set foot out of the castle this sensation washed over me. It pulsated adamantly for hours. Still it has yet to let up. Tears well in the corners of my eyes when I dwell on it. I recognized this feeling. Sorrow, nausea, confusion. My stomach has churned into knots this same way many years ago. When my time at The Land of Departure came to an abrupt end, and I left with Terra. But why? Why did leaving Castle Oblivion ale me like this? It wasn't home. It was a prison. An institution crafted to torture the unfortunate fool who happened upon it with their darkest memories.

Knowing this did not deter this feeling of homesickness. What made it worse...is I kept sensing someone. Since floor one until I walked out the front door I kept thinking someone I knew was close by. Not the Organization of Nobodies. Not Sora, Donald, or Goofy. No...it...it was...Ven? VEN?! No! It couldn't be! And yet the presence I was sensing was unmistakable. It WAS Ven. How was that possible? Was Ven in the Castle and I missed him? Or was it another trick? I don't know. The only thing that mattered now was getting back home. Wherever home was. Riku has the islands to return to. Me? Numerous worlds have served as a refuge. I know not where my true home lies. Do I return with my grandfather? What about Disney Castle? Mickey would like to see me return. Goofy and Donald too. The Land of Departure isn't an option. Radiant Garden maybe.

Oh well. It would have to wait. Riku and I couldn't just go home right off the bat anyway. Not while we have a mission to complete. Namine, a Nobody with powers over Sora's memories and those around him, is piecing Sora's memories back together.

 **(Riku POV)**

You see, at certain point in his journey, Namine began rewriting Sora's memories. It was part of the Organization's plans to change him into their puppet. Their plan failed, but not before Sora's old memories got replaced with bogus ones. Unfortunately, in order for Sora to get his old memories back, he'd have to forget everything that happened in the castle. Everything. The battles, the floors, even the castle itself. In order for that to be made possible he fell into a deep sleep. Right now he's floating in a pod, sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. Good thing I chose to keep my memories. I intend to tell him off when he wakes up. But, in the meantime, while he sleeps, Alirah and I are going to keep the Organization away from him. No matter what the cost, Sora was going to wake up. When? I don't know. But enough friends have been lost. I'm not about to allow Sora to be one of them.

 **(Alirah POV)**

Riku is fraught with worry of losing Sora. Why shouldn't he be? He betrayed Sora for power. Because lies twisted him into what he isn't. I am by no means holier than thou. Lies twisted me, anger and hatred drove me - I've harmed those that should be close to me. All for meaningless revenge. Now people I love are dragged into my mess.

Hiano. I don't want him involved any further. But he will never leave my side willingly. Just like...I would never leave Terra's...unless forced to.

 **xxx**

" _Riku…_ "

He was weightless. Floating in a sickeningly familiar abyss basked in neverending darkness. A torrent of misery and fear surrounded him, swallowing him further in the depths of no return. He felt nothing. His muscles were limp as wet noodles. Nerves prickling his body like thousands of tiny needles. Jolts traveled every inch of him. Darkness he prevented corrupting his heart trying adamantly to twist him.

" _Riku…_ "

Dark violet threads snaked his wrists, slithering to the shoulders. Threads wrapped the full length of his legs. One found its way to his neck. The threads tightened. Riku's face contorted in discomfort. The threads grew tighter. The circulation was cut. Oxygen deprived pressure built in his head. He made an effort to struggle. Invisible weight kept him still. Helpless.

" _You are mine, Riku. Never shall you be free of me._ "

A form was on top of him. Pressing down hard. A full grown man was lying on top of him. The threads tied to his legs were his legs keeping him trapped. The threads to his arms were hands restraining his arms. Around his neck were silver grey locks of hair. The beats of Riku's heart pounded against a broad chest. Soulless darkness transferring between them. To his ear were dark pairs of lips twisted in a malicious grin. Golden eyes narrowed, savoring Riku's shivering.

" _In a moment of weakness - when your pitiful strength is not enough, when you surrender to the power you fear, when you lose the will to resist,_ " A gloved hand touched to Riku's chest. Riku let out a moan, tensing nervously, " _I will reclaim what is mine._ " The fingers dug in.

"AAHHH!"

"YAH!" There was a loud thud.

"ALIRAH?" Riku panted. He shot up so suddenly he inadvertently threw Alirah against a tree stump. She heatedly massaged her head, cheeks puffed in a pout at the flustered Riku. "Oh man! Ali! I'm sorry."

"No-no! I'm okay." She absconded his help. "The tree broke my fall." She irritably rolled onto her knees, shaking off the splinters. "But, seriously, give a little warning."

"Sorry." He roughly pushed his sweat and hair back. He leaned on a palm. The feel of the grass sent relieving shocks through his body. He could still feel Ansem on top of him. He shuddered in revulsion. Alirah cupped a hand to his cheek, bringing his bloodshot cerulean eyes to meet her disconcerted crimson. She slowly rested a hand to his chest. The speedy pace unnerved her. Riku gently curled fingers to both her hands, brushing her knuckles to his lips. "I'm fine. Or will be."

"Are you sure?"

Riku hesitated a moment. Light dimmed in his eyes. "I...don't really know."

 **xxx**

It was...astonishing. Absolutely mind boggling. Often times they could hardly believe it themselves. A few times during their jaunt through the vast plains, Alirah and Riku processed the ordeals they endured and accept the fact that only two short months have gone by since their journey together began. Even saying it out loud made it harder to comprehend. At least a year should have passed. But no. Traveling to countless, beautiful worlds. Meeting allies and enemies - old and new. Fighting against hordes of heartless seeking to consume their hearts and the darkness within. Serving under a tyrannical witch. Surviving numerous floors of heart wrenching memories. And, of course, fending off lingering shadows wishing to turn them into puppets. So much has happened. It was almost like a dream. A long, terrifying, exciting dream. It was not a dream. The proof is in the scars etched into their bodies. Each one carrying a memory of their trials. Alirah and Riku wore those scars with pride. For they are proof of the accomplishments they achieved. Now here they were, wandering through plains, searching for their next adventure.

The plains lived up to their christening. An entire valley of rising and falling hills blanketed in greener than green grass. Trees growing in precarious areas. Throw in a few slides, swings, and a sandbox and The Plains could be a huge park. Crystal blue water flowing at the foot of opposite facing slopes glistened under the sun's brilliant rays. A cool breeze wafted the ankle high blades of grass, coasting the aroma of freshly bloomed blossoms to Riku, Alirah, Mickey, and Hiano's noses.

 **xxx**

"Hmm…" Riku put his hand to his forehead like a visor, peering toward the sky.

"Whatcha think' about, Riku?" Mickey asked concerned. Riku had been humming to himself and glaring at the sky for a few hours.

"Just…" Riku trailed off for a moment. An air about the sky raised a red flag in his mind. The path behind them was a mirror image of the path ahead. Riku watched the ground pass by under him. It was like walking on a treadmill with passing pictures. "We've been walking for days. Passed the same trees, the same rocks, the same frog on a lilypad." A frog drifting down the stream on a lilypad croaked. "Why does it feel like we're not getting anywhere?"

"And I haven't seen a single animal since we entered here." Alirah added noticing squirrel holes with no squirrels. Grass was dug up where gopher holes lied. With the exception of the frog, The Plains were void of animal life. She followed the frog until it disappeared down the stream.

"Phew…" Mickey wiped sweat from his brow. "It feels hotter than yesterday."

"Agreed." Hiano wriggled molting skin onto Alirah's shoulders. He kindly dusted it to the ground with his tail. He curious of the heat. The days are at their hottest when the sun is directly in the middle of the sky. They'd barely began walking minutes after they woke up. When Hiano looked at the sun positions, it was dead in the center. He hadn't thought about it, but the moon was in the middle all last night as well. "My mind is playing tricks in my old age. The sun and moon do not move." The trio glanced up. Hiano was right. Alirah looked directly at the moon last night. The sun was roughly in the same position. Or appeared to be. Their concerns over the sun would have to wait. They needed to find a way out.

Hiano offered to piggyback his friends a majority of the way. Alirah opposed for two reasons. One: a majority of the way was unknown to them. Likely there was hundreds of miles left to journey. Two: Hiano was nowhere near recuperated from their battle with Xehanort. He was a stubborn serpent. He pleaded he was fine. Alirah knew better. Their link allowed him to know when she was ill and she him. Although, mentally she avoided the elephant in the room. She lost Hiano once due to her carelessness. She would not risk it again.

The sun never moved as Riku and the others trudged arduously along. The heat beaded mercilessly on their skin, cooking them alive. The muscles in their legs throbbed. The soles of their boots dragged languorously. Rocks bumped the toes, tripping them to a face full of dirt. It was like falling on a bed of needles. Thunder of pain reverberated them to the brink of unconsciousness. Each one that tripped, they never wanted to get up again. Seven days and six nights of walking. To where was anyone's guess. With the duration and distance they'd been walking it should have been sunset by now. The heavy heat was all that adjusted. And it grew heavier each day. Today was at its all time highest.

In the beginning they were two teenagers, a mouse, and snake making a jaunt back to the real world. Or whatever world rested at the end of the plains. When those Darkside Heartless crushed them, they both reappeared in spaces that brought them to the threshold of Castle Oblivion. When they left they were walking on a greyish path located in the epicenter of the Abyss. They passed a couple of boulders and emerged in the plains, meeting Diz who granted them a choice. Take the path to Darkness or the Path to light. In their decision to take the middle path they uttered vows. Riku swore to walk the path to dawn. The first sign of light after darkness. Alirah will walk the path to tomorrow. The first step out of the past.

 **xxx**

" _Alirah..._ "

"Huh!" Alirah twisted back. Mickey threw his hands up, stepping back. Her eyes were wide in utter horror.

"What's wrong?" Mickey shook.

" _Alirah..._ "

"Did you hear something?" She whispered, swallowing nervously.

"Hear what?" Hiano asked firmly. "What have you heard, Alirah?" He was not about to pretend Alirah was well. He noticed it the second she set foot in the plains. A heavy toll was weighing on her mind.

"N-nothing..." She gazed perplexedly toward the ground, muddling the pebbles as she rationalized the voice. "I'm just...tired." She jogged after Riku, keeping close to him. Hiano bore a scolding glare in her back. He closed his eyes, focusing on her mind. Sharp pain shot down the middle of his skull.

"What happened?" Mickey mumbled under his breath.

Hiano shook the pain off, wriggling fiercely to recompose himself. "She's keeping me out. She won't let me see."

"Let you see what?"

"The man behind the voice."

 **xxx**

To say making that journey is steadily becoming difficult was the understatement of their lives. Mickey and Hiano were only tired. Alirah and Riku - it was much more. Hands of lingering shoulder squeezed their shoulders, arms wrapped tautly to their forms, never allowing them to stray too far. Venomous snarls of their disembodied voices tickled their ears. Icy hot pulses radiated from their heavy hearts. Tension on their skulls blurred their vision off and on. Mickey saved Riku from walking head first into a tree. Hiano constricted Alirah's waist when she almost slipped into the river. Mickey and Hiano were scared for them. Looking at their sunken faces it was clear they were being devoid of life. Empty eyes staring into nothing. Not even Hiano could sense what troubled the two. Which bothered him greatly. It meant Alirah was going the extra mile to keep him out.

Night fell upon the plains for the seventh night. Blazing heat was cooled under the moon's brilliant glow. Exhaustion weighed unbearably on Riku and Alirah's shoulders. Worse than yesterday's. Mickey crawled, digging the toes of his shoes and the tips of his fingers in the hillside. He rolled over collapsing asleep. Alirah set Hiano On Mickey's stomach. He coiled tightly to a ball, lying his head listlessly on the grass.

Riku hadn't bothered to leave the path. He retreated under a tree, practically throwing himself against the trunk. He toppled onto his side, curling on the grass and falling into a deep sleep. Alirah made her way down the slope to him. Her legs suddenly gave out. She rolled all the way to the foot of the hill, falling asleep on a thin strip of grass. One last breath escaped their lungs. They sank in engrossing slumber, unable to open their eyes any further.

 **xxx**

A tall figure with the same golden eyes knelt beside Riku. His smiling lips hovered over his ear. " _How long do you think you can keep on?_ "

"No...go away." Riku groaned in his sleep.

" _How far does your delusion extend that you believe you will be able to resist me?_ "

"Not here...you're not here!" Riku yanked a handful of grass and dirt right out of the ground.

" _I will always be here, Riku. When you sleep, when you're awake. Never shall you be free of my grasp._ " A fistful of his hair was gently grasped. His head was tilted back. Closed eyes forced to meet the searing gold. " _You will be my vessel again, Riku. And there is nothing you can do to stop me._ "

 **xxx**

As the night proceeded, the long blades of grass shaped to Mickey, Alirah, and Riku, comfortably nestling their forms. Trickles of the running stream soothed the pounding of Riku and Alirah's minds. All theirs stresses and tensions slipped away with the flowing water.

"Terra." Alirah moaned Terra's name under her breath. "Terra. Come play...play..."

Boots stood at her feet. A hunched over figure watched her slumber peacefully. "How comfortably you slumber. The darkness offers you security, yet you resist its magnetism." His malevolent golden orbs gleamed with his sinister grin. "No need to fear for too long." He snapped his fingers. The water started to fade. The loud trickling went silent. Riku and Alirah weren't stirred. "Soon, in its splendor, you shall be consumed." The figure disappeared into thin air. Twinkling stars lighting up the night sky extinguished like candlelight one by one. The sky blackened with every handful. Soon the moon was all that remained. The trees, the hills, the dirt road - all of the plains, except where the others slept faded into black. Rays of the moon shining upon them in the encompassing darkness. Then...darkness.

 **To be continued**


	4. Familiar Names

**Familiar Names**

 **Picking up where I left off.**

 **xxx**

 **Day 61 of 358/2**

 _Falling…falling…falling deeper into darkness._ A current guides a form further beneath, far from the shimmering light above. _It doesn't frighten me._ Orbs of light take shape, surrounding and blanketing her in their warm glow.

 _Voices. Many overlapping voices. They speak my name, calling out to me._ Familiar voices whisper in her ear. Dozens of them. She knows them.

 _Figures surrounding me, comforting me with warm embraces._ A smile forms. She chortles small laughs. _Strange. I feel...happy. Safe around them._ Numerous shadows pat her shoulder, ruffle her hair, hug her tightly.

 _But...why can't I see their faces?_ Backs turned to her. Faces blacked out. Mouths moving, but hardly any sound escapes. _Why won't they let me see them? Ugh._ One figure stands out. He has his back to her. He's colored in. White pants, black shoes, and a past the waist navy sweater with lighter blue rims. Long luminescent blue hair.

 _Isa? Isa!_ The man she calls Isa walks away. _Wait...come back, Isa! Why are you leaving?_ All the shadows face their backs to her. In sync they begin walking, fading in the darkness. _Wait...why are you all leaving? Come back! Ienzo! Aerith! Aqua! Grandpa!...DADDY!_

One after the other, the shadows and the light faded. Leaving her...in the dark. _Why? Why am I alone?_ The girl sat on her knees, tears dripping to her the skirt of her pink dress. _Why did you all leave me?_

" _Because your darkness chased them away."_

 _Who?_

" _You are the monster they all feared you would become."_

 _That voice! Where is it coming from?_

" _They've all seen it. The awesome power you so desperately try to constrain. Unleashed on all in retaliation for the pain plaguing your heart._ " Another figure emerged in the darkness. The shape was that of a girl. Her hair waving in the empty space. _"Inevitably it will consume you._ "

 _Who...who is that? Is that...supposed to me?_

 _"The darkness will take your mind._ " Piercing golden eyes flared open. _"Your body. Your soul. You will become the monster they fear._ " Fangs shown in a wide, toothy, demonic grin. _"And everyone will know the darkness of your soul."_

 _NO...get away from me! Stay away!_

In the voice that belonged to an aged man, the female figure spoke, " _You cannot escape me, Alirah. The darkness shall consume your heart…"_ Shadow claws erupted from the figure, fed by darkness pouring from its very being. " _Your soul shall be mine!_ " The claw darted forward, closing around the terrified child.

 _Help me...help me...TERRA!_

 **xxx**

Empty, hollowed halls churning with the saudade moans of the lost and parted. Ironic. Considering the very world those palace halls existed was no more than an empty fragment itself. Much like its humanoid counterparts, Metallic clasps of boot meeting a spiraling walkway were the sole true sounds of soulless bastion.

' _Help me...'_ Black clad boots halted scaling a flight of marble stairs. Hued grey locks of hair tickled a tanned outer ear, carrying a familiar sound. ' _Help me...'_ Dark, golden orange eyes partially lidded soberly. The mysterious man took one more step up. ' _TERRA!_ ' The eyes spanned wide. A muscular body whisked around. His eyes gaze out the window. The voice faded on the nonexistent breeze. That voice was not a trick on his mind.

"You're falling…" He extended a hand toward the window, grasping at a young girl he sees, beyond his reach, plummeting to her doom. "I...I cannot catch you."

 **xxx**

An eerie whistle of wind traversed the vast, acreage of The Great Maw. A wide plane of rock, dust, and scars of a battle waged many years in the past. Lingering horrors soaked to the last grain of dust, crying hymns of the destruction Maleficent's tirade caused. Hollow cries of those who perished echoed. An unseen battle still taking place. History beckoning the outcome to change, when only tragedy awaits.

Steep, sheer rocky cliffs, smooth to the eye declined to an even stretch of land. Albeit a slope, or maybe a deep gash in the land or two. The cliffs stood tall. The top cut clean and flat, as if slice by the axe of a deity. On either side of the Maw's ends, auspicious bastions - castles worn and rotting - stood as sort of beacons. Beacons of what - the opinion rested with the hearts and minds of the people.

In the middle of the awe striking canyon lied three figures dressed in black cloaks. A boy, a girl, and a mouse. Neither one moved. Their breathing so shallow they were mistaken for dead.

Racing footsteps darted toward the unconscious trio. Mickey's ear twitched. The sounds coaxed something awake within him. But he would not fully awaken. Trauma to his small frame weighed unbearably like an anvil. Riku and Alirah - both released dry groans, resigned to the fatigue. Sore muscles thumped and fidgeted, jerking motion to the motionless figures. Piercing migraines were not what they wanted to begin rousing them.

Two approaching shadows loomed over the unconscious bodies of Mickey, Alirah, and Riku. Gentle hands propped Riku to a pink skirted lap. Two fingers pressed to a pulse point. Riku let out a groan that retracted the hand. His eyes opened for only a moment. A very dim sign of consciousness reflected before he slipped back into darkness.

Riku's eyes swayed from one side to the other, rolling to the back of his head. Shadows. There were so many shadows, fuzzy light blinding him. " _Ugh...an...pla...ah..._ " He was weak. Coherent speech was too taxing. Riku slipped back into unconsciousness. Tension left his cheeks.

Another pair of hands tended to Alirah. " _No...no...get...Xeha..._ " She groaned weakly. Two more figures appeared, rushing to Mickey's side. He was worse for wear as well. The only good sign is they were all alive. But they needed medical treatment right away.

" _Let us return them to my workshop._ "

" _Yuffie, take Mickey._ "

" _I've got Alirah._ "

" _Then I'll take this kid._ "

Riku was tossed onto a broad back. Mickey was cradled in small, strong arms. A tall woman supported Alirah. A wand was waved through the air. Glittering dust surrounded the group in a circle, creating a dome. In a flash a ball of light lifted them, transporting them from the maw.

On the ridge overlooking the maw, a pair of black boots turned on their heels, dismissing their host from the ledge.

 **xxx**

 _UGH...GH...ERGH...CAN'T...MOVE!_ Arms and legs futilely tugged at jet black, noncorporeal bindings. A body violently thrashed in a lapping pool. A concoction of darkness stewed beneath the form, hugging effortlessly to his trapped body.

 _Let go of me!_ He wrenched himself forward, jerking and wriggling fiercely. _LET...GO!_ His waist lifted barely half a centimeter. Tentacles wrapped to his chest and waist, dragging him back to the pool. _NO! What is this?!_ The boy wrestled at the bindings. Misty flakes were broken free of the pool, wafting into a swirling torrent above. _Dammit! Let go!_

" _Let you go?_ " A malevolent chuckle reverberated his pounding heart. " _How can it let go when you desperately cling to it?_ "

 _WHO'S THERE? Show yourself!_ Frightened cerulean eyes darted in the darkness. The presence was obvious. A suffocating cloud he grew to find sickeningly familiar.

 _"You try your hardest to distance yourself. You accept its power, but still fear its grip."_ A tentacle wrapped to the pale neck, squeezing tightly. His wrists, ankles, and waist were squeezed. Pressure built throughout the body.

 _Le...let go...stop!_

" _Never..."_ The presence he sensed. It was on top of him. A flowing mass even darker than the space surrounding them had the boy pinned. He felt legs on either side of his hips, hands clamped to his entangled arms. The brunt of a full grown body was pressed to his. Even the breath was obvious. " _I will never let you go, Riku._ "

 _That...that voice. No...you can't be here..._

" _In the castle you finally allowed the darkness in. Welcomed 'me' with open arms._ " Golden eyes pierced the dark, along with a toothy grin. Shadowed lips moved close to an ear. The shivering form made the smile widen. " _And now that you have, it will consume you and all that you love._ "

 _No. I...I won't let that happen._

" _In the end the choice will not be yours. Once darkness begins to breed,_ " A hand rested square on his chest, " _Nothing will stop its birth."_ Darkness seeped from the white gloved palm, spiraling over the yellow shirted chest. Tension choked the chest, clenching the heart inside in a vice. teeth clenched shut. Lips refusing to open and release the scream building in the throat. " _Your body shall be consumed..._ " Cerulean eyes flew open, coated by a corruptive gold. The boy's lips moved in sync with a final declaration, " _YOUR HEART WILL BE MINE!_ "

 **xxx**

" _Riku...Riku..._ " A slurred voice echoed. " _Riku, wake up._ " A hand shook a languid shoulder.

 _Ansem…?_ Heavy eyes weakly bounced open. The slurred voice belonged to a blurred figure hovering inches away.

" _Riku?_ _Can you hear me_?" The voice gradually cleared. _No...not Ansem._ It was a woman talking. What appeared to be a hand waved in his face.

"Hn...uhh..." Riku grunted dryly. From his shoulders to the tip of his twitching fingers muscles shifted. His brow knit, pouring stiff strength into opening his eyes.

" _I think he's coming around._ " A second voice cheered. Another girl. _Not Alirah...who?_ The haze gradually cleared from Riku's vision, but the veil clung to his head. Bright, blinding light filled the space, then vanished. Glossy green eyes greeted the weary boy. A familiar woman with brown hair beamed with relief.

"Aerith...?" He knew her. _Aerith..._ She's Alirah's friends.

"Oh thank goodness!" Aerith placed her hand to her racing heart, resisting hugging him. She wasn't sure what brought it on. She was just so relieved to see him wake up. Riku was relieved to see a friendly face. He smiled at her, beyond glad it wasn't Ansem.

"Ow..." Riku touched his forehead, able to feel the migraine drilling in his skull.

"Welcome back to the living, Riku!" A peppy, Japanese girl waved her hands at him. Her high voice agitated the migraine.

Riku knew her too. It strained his sore brain trying to think of her name. Alirah must have talked about her a few times. _Y...you...ff..._ Riku rested a palm over his eyes, blacking out the distracting scene. Her name was on the tip of his tongue. She folded her arms behind her back, leaning in close "Yuffie...?"

"That's right!" She gave him a thumbs up. "Nicely done!"

In the back of Riku's mind, he was sure he was ranting and raving about how he was sure they hadn't met. Yet, he felt guilty ignoring the feeling they had met. Both Yuffie and Aerith rang bells in his mind. And it's not because they're Alirah's friends. It's something else. He's met them somewhere once before. Trying to remember only aggravated his headache. Riku was so disoriented he didn't bother questioning how they knew him further. He doesn't recall meeting them. Or did he? It'll come to him whether or not they've met. Once the room stopped spinning.

Through wincing eyes he made out a rather large room. It too was familiar. A house? A hutt? He wasn't sure. Though the wide space scrolled past his dizzy perspective, his hazy mind failed to process where he was and who else was in the room. He dug his elbow into a cushion. It startled him. Turning his tender head to the side, which brought on a ringing headache, he was surprised to see a bed beneath him. He half expected grass or dirt. He was traveling the plains for so long, he'd come to expect harsh terrain when he next awoke.

"Ugh...where...am...I?" He slurred, shuffling to prop himself at a slight angle. The last few hours were a blur. He would admit that. But he was sure he hadn't fallen asleep in a bed. This made him question whether what he was seeing was real or a trick laid by the heartless. Aerith tenderly cradled his head, placing a second pillow beneath his head. The elevation helped his headache. The world started to clear up. It just made him all the more tense. "How did...I get here?!" He went on a rigid defense. He's had enough of waking up in strange places.

"You're safe! Relax!" Aerith tenderly reassured him. Riku winced, holding his pounding head. Aerith gracefully waved her hand. A healing spell jingled bells above Riku's forehead. Dust sprinkled evenly temple to temple, seeping beneath the skin. Riku felt a twinge of ringing pain assuage. Drumming gradually faded to a tolerable buzz. The ringing lingered a while. A flow of relaxation started to follow. "There you go. How do you feel?"

"Like...lead was put in my body." Riku grunted between words. "What happened to me? How did I get here? Why-" Aerith touched fingertips to his lips, halting the questions barrage.

"All in good time." She replied softly. She stroked hair from his brow. Fatigue was apparent on his face. Getting worked up would only hurt him. "You're all safe now."

"All? Alirah! Mickey! Where-" A door opened. Yuffie and Aerith moved to let Riku see. A gruff, stern looking man entered the house. He leered jadedly in Riku's direction. Riku matched his glare. While he's sure he's never met this guy, his head needn't be all there for him to discern someone carrying a grudge. Riku being awake displeased him greatly. Next, an old man dressed in a blue robe hobbled in. His long white beard swayed side to side. The tall, pointed cap he wore stroked the doorway upon entry. Riku recognized him. "Merlin."

"Ah, good. I see you've woken up." Merlin commended the boy, walking over to him. Riku groaned as an answer to Merlin's observation. "You had us worried, My Boy. Then again, I suppose I would sleep like the dead if I were as exhausted as you."

"Like the dead?" Riku shuddered. "Wait-"

Merlin ignored his plight. He pinched Riku's wrist between his thumb and index finger, checking a pocket watch. "Normal pulse…" He drew his wand from his open sleeve. He put the tip at Riku's chest and listened on the other end. "Heart sounds good." He twirled the wand and smacked Riku's knee.

"YOUCH!" Riku's whole body jolted.

"Reflexes satisfactory!" Merlin exuberantly announced. He slid the wand back in his sleeve. "My Dear Boy, you are the picture of health! Just get a little rest, drink some tea, and you'll be right as rain by the next morning."

"Grr…" Riku massaged his chest and knee. As if the headache wasn't a pain enough. "Keep poking me with that stick and you'll be the one with health problems!"

"With a mouth like that, a Keyblade is superfluous." The man from before leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. The glare never left his face. Riku's brow knit sharply. _How does he know I have a Keyblade?_

"Leon, if you persist to scowl like that your face will get stuck." Merlin pestered the man playfully. Leon huffed, turning his head away. Scuffling came at the open door. Riku stretched his neck to see who the approaching shadows belonged to. Alirah and Mickey nervously poked their heads inside. It killed every muscle, but Riku smiled seeing them safe.

"RIKU!" Alirah and Mickey darted to his side. Aerith and Yuffie wisely created a gap. Alirah practically slid on her knees to be right beside him. Mickey piggybacked on her. A smile controlled his entire face. "You're okay?" Her glossy eyes pleaded. Hiano slithered to Alirah's head. "How are you feeling?!" She cupped his hand, caressing his cheek.

"Better, now that you're here." He squeezed her hand, leaning into the hand.. She wasn't an illusion. None of them were. _We're safe. We're actually safe._ He cursed his silly guard. No way the darkness can mimic a girl like Aerith.

"Are you sure you're okay, my boy?" Hiano coiled on Riku's stomach. The bags and dark rings under his eyes aside, Riku appeared ragged. Worn out from a fight that should have ended at Castle Oblivion. "Perhaps more rest will do you well."

"I'm fine, Hiano. Really." Riku tried to assure him, petting his head. Truth is, there's a weight bearing on his chest he hasn't been able to shake.

Hiano was too perceptive a serpent. Riku is not the only one masking his agony. Alirah has hid her troubles behind a smile ever since she woke up. Little does she know, he's heard Xehanort's name leave her sleeping lips. Riku too continues to struggle against Ansem. Two shadows constantly following at their heels. The battle at Castle Oblivion was only a prelude. This saga was not yet finished.

"You had us scared for a while, there." Mickey added, patting Riku's leg, unaware Merlin tested his reflexes moments earlier. "You just kept tossing and turning. When we tried to wake you up, you'd just throw us off."

"S-Sorry." Riku groaned. The impression of fingers dug in his chest, surrounding where his heart would be. _I fought with Ansem...again._ He sank dismally. He collected himself seeing Alirah, Hiano, and Mickey ogle him pensively."Where are we?" He recovered.

"We're in Hollow Bastion. At Merlin's old home." Alirah filled him in, sitting on the edge of the bed. Riku wondered why the old cottage looked so familiar. Alirah brought him here once before. Although the place was in shambles last time. Renovations were underway. Coming along smoothly by the looks of the place. "Aerith and the others found us unconscious in the Maw and brought us here."

"How did we get here? To Hollow Bastion, I mean." There's that pounding again. Riku's head was a wreck. "The last thing I remember is being in the Plains." Mickey and the two were at a loss on that one.

"We were hoping you could tell us that!" Leon demanded more than he requested. While Alirah was able to jostle a half baked chuckle at Leon's abrasive tone, Riku found him as irksome as Hades. Possibly worse. "First Sora, Donald, and Goofy drop off the face of the universe, now you two appear out of nowhere worse for wear?" He shook his head skeptically. "Coincidence or intentional? Seeing as none of us know what went on after you were left alone with them!" He snapped derisively at Alirah. She somberly glanced toward the ground. She's forgotten a lot of things. Except Leon's anger cooking her like a hotdog. She's sure a hole was charring in her back.

Riku's had his fill of Leon's attitude. He threw himself to his feet, storming across the room. Mickey caught Hiano seconds before he hit the floor. "You got something you wanna say, _LEON_?" He challenged, completely ignoring the lightheadedness trying to drop him like a log. Leon pushed off the wall, heatedly meeting the shorter boy halfway. He scoffed at how bold the kid was considering the height and age difference. But that wasn't what fueled his dislike for the silver haired Keyblade wielder. "Well?! You've got a big mouth! Seem to enjoy spouting off with a foot inside it! Start talking!" Riku bared his teeth.

"I suggest you lie down, Junior!" Leon put his chest on Riku to make him back down. "That head injury is clouding your better judgement."

"What's the matter, Pops? Scared of wiping your ass on the floor?"

"Not before your head flies through that window!"

"Okay! Riku! Easy!" Alriah gripped his arm. Mickey pushed him by the legs. They'd hate to see a fight break out right now.

"Come on, Squall!" Yuffie and Aerith restrained Leon by both arms. "Tone it down!"

"That's _Leon_!" He stressed, ripping them off. "And you can't stand there and tell me you aren't thinking the same thing!" Aerith and Yuffie shied shamefully. Merlin cleared his throat, facing a wall. "Why is it Sora's gone and the two of you are here?" He accused them harshly. Alirah's expression dampened. Her hands slid from Riku.

"Why are asking us as if it's our fault?" Riku snapped back.

"Because he knows we worked for Maleficent." Alirah answered drearily. "And I promised _all_ of us would come back." Riku's outrage blew over. Those few words cleared the air in an instant. He parted two steps from Leon. He would never say it, but regret outlined his hesitant eyes. Alirah moved in front of him, approaching Leon confidently. "Sora, Donald, and Goofy are fine, Leon. They're holed up somewhere being taken care of."

"Are they alright?" Merlin asked fretfully.

"They're fine. They took a blow on their latest journey and are recovering."

"Latest journey?" Yuffie repeated confused. Alirah bit her tongue. "When did-"

Riku placed a hand over Alirah's mouth. "All you need to know is it's over, and those three will be back on their feet before we know it." He obscured his scowl at Alirah. She shrugged her shoulders, finding _sorry,_ too weak a word. She needed careful with what she revealed. Too much would put the absent trio in danger all over again.

If what _Diz_ said is true, and a group known as The Organization was searching for him, it was imperative Alirah, Mickey, Riku, and Hiano keep what they know between them and them alone. Too many people knowing Sora's weakened and vulnerable condition will set him up as a lamb for slaughter. Namine would be hurt in the crossfire too.

With the special cloaks lent to them by Diz, Riku, Mickey, and Alirah are able to travel without drawing attention. Meaning it'll be difficult for The Organization to locate and pry the information out of them. The same is not said for Namine or anyone else they meet. Though strong in their own unique way, Leon and the others would be pulverized before the Nobodies broke a sweat. Yet another pile of bodies to be added on Riku and Alirah's conscience.

As they speak, Namine is working tirelessly on putting Sora's memories back the way they were. Because she pieced them apart, and replaced them with false ones, it will take her an insurmountable of time to fix them. In the meantime, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were sleeping in pods located within Castle Oblivion. Doubtful Namine planned to keep them there for too long. The commotion may provoke the Organization to send search parties. Nevertheless, Sora's location is kept hush-hush until Namine finished. Who knows how long that will take.

"Speaking of recovering," Mickey decided to get in on the conversation, "How have all of you been?"

"We're awesome, actually, Your Majesty!" Yuffie boasted. "By the way, it's great to finally meet you in person!" She bounced him, shaking his hand animatedly. "Donald and Goofy speak highly of you."

"GO~O~OSH!" Mickey's voice jumbled. Yuffie stopped shaking him long enough for him to form a sentence. "I'm...happy...BRR," He shook off the dizziness, "They found you guys. They were in good hands. Alirah's told me a lot about you guys too."

"Oh has she?" Yuffie grinned like a cat. Alirah's face turned cherry red. Yuffie giggled childishly, running to Alirah and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "AW! I knew our little Li-Li had a soft spot. Just takes a bit to get it out of her. Here's one way." She showed Alirah a picture of old faces who used to live there. Scrooge, the nephews, and a few others. "People are starting to return in waves. Soon things will be back to normal. We're thinking of forming a Restoration Crew, rebuilding the town into something new."

"That's great, Yuffie!" Alirah hugged her, happy to hear her old home was on the mend. "I'm glad you guys are doing alright. These last few days were...hazardous on my nerves."

"No kidding!" Yuffie squished Alirah's cheeks, shaking her around. "What happened to those pudgy, happy, girly cheeks? These ones are so tired out and worn they feel like leather." Riku, Aerith, Mickey shared a laugh at her expense. Hiano, Leon, and Merlin stifled a snort. "And the all black, goth motif has to go. I miss you in shorts, and skirts. These make you look...evil." She said like a maniacal gremlin.

"You think so?" Alirah fanned the cloak. "I think its becoming." She batted her eyes.

Riku rolled his eyes. Alirah knew how to stroke her own ego. When he thought about it, he supposed the cloaks did raise a few red flags. "You said people were returning home. Does that mean the princesses too?"

"Oh yes!" Merlin replied excitedly. He drew his wand. With wand and swish he conjured astral projections of each of the Princesses homes. "When the worlds returned, the Princesses were almost immediately swept away, returned safely to their homes. By all assurances, they're doing quite fine. Shaken up - as to be expected." Mickey and Hiano released relieved breaths. They were so glad to hear that. "Which reminds me, Alirah, Snow White wished me to convey a message." Alirah went on edge. "She said…" He tapped his throat, " _You promised to make things up to us. Don't you forget._ " Alirah crumbled to decayed stone. His mimicry magic needled her to the bone.

"Remind me, Alirah," Riku mocking draped an arm around her shoulder, "When did the princesses have you whipped?"

"Around the same time Sora whipped you." She poked his chin. Riku dropped his head. That stabbed him right in the pride. "I'm actually glad Merlin brought it up. I promised Snow and the others I'd make things up to them."

"I hear ya." Riku rotated his shoulder, cracking his neck and back. "I need to get back to the Islands and make sure everyone's alright." He never imagined he'd hear himself say that. Not long ago, he wanted so badly to get off that rock. Now he couldn't wait to go back.

"But first you need to rest!" Merlin interjected sternly. He circled his wand, creating four cups of herbal, honeyed tea. "You lot may be able to walk about, but you are - by no means - in any sort of shape to travel." He distributed the tea. The last was placed on the table for Hiano. "Understand that I, more than anyone, fathom the importance of your mission. However, rest and recuperation are as vital a tool as the Keyblade. Do not take them for granted."

Mickey and Hiano's yawns strengthened Merlin's case. Alirah and Riku reluctantly agreed. It's been a while since they've been allowed to rest somewhere secure. Sleeping on actual beds didn't seem like a bad idea either. Unfortunately, being back in Hollow Bastion, Alirah's sense of adventure granted her a jolt of extra energy.

"No arguments here." Riku stiffly lied down, rolling to have the wall face him. The bed's cushion feel was already putting him on the brink of sleep. "Wake me up when September Ends."

"But it's August." Alirah droned disparagingly.

"Exactly." Riku erected a finger. Hiano wasn't complaining. He found an open cabinet as good a place as any. He's been stuck in his charm for so long it was becoming a prison. He closed the doors and threw himself in the thrall of a power nap. Mickey sat at a wall, nesting comfortably.

Alirah rolled her eyes. Men loved to sleep. "Would it be alright if I tour the town a bit? I'm kinda...in a reminiscing mood."

"Go on ahead." Yuffie permitted. "Sure you can find your way around? It's not the way it used to be."

"I think I can manage." She winked, heading to the door. She stopped in the doorway a moment. "Leon?" He tilted his head. "That dark place - I'm not quite out yet. Think you can wait a while longer?"

Leon huffed under his breath, folding his arms. "Just make sure you get those milkshakes, and I'll think about it." Aerith cupped her hands to her heart, glowing happily. Alirah snickered quietly, then left to venture into the shambled world.

Riku, Hiano, and Mickey closed their poked open eyes, wanting to get as much rest as possible. They had a long road ahead of them.

 **xxx**

Bandit Heartless native to Agrabah had Roxas and Xion surrounded. Fat Bandits were on the rise, covering the flanks to halt any attempts to escape. Xion and Roxas were exasperated from fighting the last three groups of heartless. The fidgeting shadows were a big enough pain when they weren't flattening to the sand. Then these sword wielding maniacs emerged out of the woodwork to hassle them. Now there are fat ones who spit fireballs on a regular basis.

"Ready, Xion!" Roxas barked, burning hateful holes in the encroaching heartless. His keyblade materialized in his hands.

"Y-Yeah!" Xion dropped to her battle stance, summoning her keyblade to her hands.

They roared animally, jumping into the prancing fray. A few quick slashes of their keyblade dismissed their heartless back to the darkness. The hearts they captured ascended, joining the magnificent Kingdom Hearts.

"Phew. That wasn't so tough." Roxas joked, wiping sweat off his brow. "Geeze. Hardly seemed like work at all."

"Then I guess you don't need ice cream?" Xion teased. "Since you didn't work as hard as I did."

"Whoa now! Let's not go crazy." The two laughed at one another. It sort of felt good. After all that fighting, it was nice to have a moment's peace. "Hey, have you heard anything about what happened at Castle Oblivion?"

Xion shook her head regretfully. "Saix and the others are looking into it, but still aren't sure what happened to everyone who went." She propped an elbow on her hand, cupping her cheek with her free one. She mourned for those sent to Castle Oblivion, sad that they will not return. She assumed, what she was _feeling_ was sadness. "None of them are sure if they've gone into hiding, or were…" She trailed off, reluctant to finish.

"Oh. Okay." Roxas moaned, lowering his head somberly.

"Roxas? Are you...alright?" She hesitated a second, then carefully set her hand to his shoulder. Roxas didn't acknowledge her. He was lost in thought. "Is it...about Axel?"

"Yeah…" He sighed. Xemnas reported the team sent to Castle Oblivion was eliminated. Not a single person has reported back. Axel was amongst the team sent to Castle Oblivion. _Axel can't be gone. He can't be!_

"Riku...and Alirah…"

"Huh!" The names shocked Roxas from his daze.

Xion stroked her lips familiarly. The names rolled off her tongue with such ease. "The names...they sound familiar, don't they?" She tilted her head. It might be her imagination. But she's sure she's heard those names somewhere before.

"They're the people Xemnas warned us about." Roxas reminded her. "The two who helped whatever-his-name-is kill everyone is Castle Oblivion!" He snarled venomously. He clenched his fingers into a vengeful fist. _The ones who killed Axel!_

"No, not like that." Xion protested. "I mean, I think I've heard their names some place else."

"Really? Where?" Roxas asked, interested if Xion to give insight on her friend's assassin.

"I'm...not sure." Xion held the side of her head. Roxas may be right. She might know their names from Xemnas's briefing. If that's true, _Why am I happy when I say their names?_ "Maybe I'm just imagining things."

"Or you're working too hard." Roxas shook her by the shoulder. He snapped his fingers in her face, snapping her out of her daze. "Let's RTC for the time being; report to Saix. We just have one more mission after that and we'll be able to have ice cream and relax later."

"Sounds good." Xion brightened. "Where's our next mission?"

"Saix said he'd fill us in, but I think he called it Travis...something or other." He scoffed at himself not knowing the name. It was probably something simple that completely slipped his mind.

Xion opened a portal this time around, entering first to report to the castle. As Roxas was about to enter, the names Riku and Alirah tingled his tongue. "Riku...Alirah…" He touched his lips like Xion did. They were warm to him. As if he's said their names before. "Do I...do _we_ know them?"

 **To be continued**


	5. Parting Ways

**Parting Ways**

 **Moving on. Okay. Next chapter. Enjoy.**

 **xxx**

"WOOOW...!" Alirah's eyes twinkled. Shooting stars raining across the night sky. Glowing, luminescent streams made the other stars twinkle, like they were cheering for their exploring friends. Alirah chased after them, pretending that she was going to catch them. Her small hands out, catching the misty night air. "W-WHOA!" Her foot stepped on air. A plummeting fall at the sloping ledge of the summit. Alirah waved and thrashed her arm, weaving to fall back. Instead her grounded foot slipped.

"GOTCHA!" She was yanked by the collar. Her feet dangled briefly in mid air. She crashed into a firm chest and hit the ground. She lied on the hyperventilating chest of her savior, hyperventilating herself. "ARE YOU...CRAZY?!" Terra reprimanded her. "I know Aqua taught you to watch where you walk, right?"

"I think I skipped that lesson." Alirah rolled on her stomach, propping her chin flirtatiously on her hands lying on him. "Ven took me out for ice cream."

"Remind me to kill him." Terra scooped her up, sitting her on his lap. He swung his legs off the ledge, getting in a comfortable position to continue watching the stars with Alirah.

The stars were raining in gradually increasing clusters, blossoming a haze beyond the mountainous horizon. The alluring lights reflected in Alirah's sparkling red orbs. Terra chuckled in amazement, inspired by the dancing sky. Alirah leaned forward, reaching for the sky.

"Careful. I don't need you falling again."

"No worries." Alirah cuddled to his chest, tilting her head back to him. "If I fall you'll just catch me again, right?"

"Ha-ha! If I do, you won't learn anything." Alirah angrily puffed her cheeks. She surprised Terra when she pushed him down, started tickling his ribs. "HEY-HA, HA, HA -C'MON-HA, HA, HA - STOP IT!" Her fingers tickled at the speed of light.

"Say you'll catch me! Say it!"

"OKAY! OKAY!" He rasped between laughs. Alirah's fingers steadily stopped. Terra was relieved to have fresh air flowing in his lungs. "Okay...I'll catch you."

"You mean it?" She glowered.

"Yeah." He wrapped his arms around her, ruffling her hair. "No matter what. I'll always catch you." ... ... ...

 **xxx**

Hollow Bastion's shambled land sent Alirah down a spiral. Caught her in a depression that seemed to be her best friend every other two days. The time she spent under Maleficent's thrall, it never occurred to her how close the town was and she was subconsciously avoiding visiting it. The first time she set foot in the town was when she led Riku on her memory lane. Even then she kept herself in one area. She would feel queasy just sitting in Merlin's home. As she found her way to what was named the "Restoration Site," her stomach and chest did a complete 360 flip.

"What did I help her do?" Alirah hugged herself tight, trying to stifle the nausea of her idiotic actions. "What...have _I Done_?" Wanton, mindless destruction, harming hundreds to thousands of people - the dominations of countless worlds for a single dominion basked in _glorious_ darkness. "I helped her do this." She cursed herself. "For my own selfish ambitions, I helped Maleficent speed up her rampage."

So much has changed over the years. Alirah barely recognized it. This wasn't the Hollow Bastion she knew. _Hollow Bastion? Didn't it go by another name?_ This place she once called home - a land thriving in light and bliss - was a shattered mess of its former self. The bailey high enough to allow a view to the Great Maw. A desolate canyon of rock and isolation. Villains Villa was just beyond it. Maleficent's hideout away from the castle she claimed as her own. Stone stairs cracked and sundered, falling apart at the seams. A towering wall serving as a border between the town and Maw was a sneeze away from crumbling. Alirah was nervous to know what state the Castle's lower interior was in.

"When's the last time I visited the old labs?" She pondered. Must have been before Merlin sent her to Mickey's Castle. She never went lower than the rising falls to see the ground levels. Alirah took a deep breath and climbed the hill to the old labs. "I wonder if she destroyed that too. Egh. Probably looks better." She puffed her bangs exasperated. "Even's _experiments_ always called for 20 coats of paint. After Briag was done shooting mindlessly at the walls."

 **xxx**

"AACHOO!"

Xigbar scared Demyx's Sitar right out of his hands. The teen looked for the instrument, baffled as to where it went. _BONK!_ It dropped on his head then back in his lap. "Oww…! Ya know, you could warn a person!" He snarled.

"Chill out, Kid, and get some ice for the bump." Xigbar passively snorted, lying back with his hands behind his head on the lounge's couch. "Ha-ha! A beautiful lady somewhere is callin' my name."

"Calling you? Please!" Demyx pouted like a puppydog, prodding the swelling bump. He nulled the throbbing mocking Xigbar's delusion. "Maybe to change your diaper, old man."

"Hey! Respect your elders!" Xigbar scolded, falling asleep. "I'll have you know the ladies flocked for miles-"

"To escape your bad breath." Demyx flamboyantly grandstanded, pinching his nose. He laughed out loud. A pillow hit his face. He glared beyond the sticking feathers. He spat a couple unamused.

 **xxx**

"Whoa..." Alirah's mouth gaped the farther back her head tilted. Wasn't exactly out of amazement. More like woeful disbelief. The upper half of the castle, while currently being dismantled, was in better shape than the lower half. It's been neglected for years. "Ansem's head would exploded twice if he saw this." She was living above that lab all that time. She wondered if the aftermath of Maleficent's daily tyranny contributed. "Maybe it's best if I don't tell _Diz_ about this." She won't have to worry. Who knows when she'll see him again?

Alirah meandered up the stairs entering the Postern. She peered past the wall's gaps to see the entrance to the lab untouched. Judging by the debris, the inside was going to look worse. She's almost scared to go in.

"Wonder what the old training hall looks like." She climbed on the gap in the wall, jumping to the lab entrance. A cold, ominous breeze brushed past her cheeks, carrying the scent of chemicals, body odor, and day old pizza and ice cream. She laughed at the smell. "We never could clean up after ourselves." She entered the dim corridor, ready to meet the past.

A blacked out mass of a hunched figure emerged behind her. No definable features or marking. Piercing gold eyes and a malevolent smile shone clear as day.

 **xxx**

Xion and Roxas returned to the castle and gave Saix an update on their visit. Nothing too significant to mention. A so called street rat, and a fat cat guy lurking around. A peddler or two claiming to have genies in bottles. But all in all a pretty straight forward visit. They collected a substantial amount of hearts, more than their last mission. That earned them a couple of points. With Saix, though, it was hard to tell if you've pleased him or killed his puppy. Maybe he just looks like that.

"Satisfactory work." Saix halfheartedly praised. Not that he had half a heart to praise them with. Xion and Roxas felt like Saix was talking to drying paint. "Tomorrow, Roxas, you will be sent to a refugee world - Traverse Town. Reports of increased Heartless activity have come in."

"Xion's not coming?" Roxas asked perturbed.

"Do you require Xion to hold your hand on every mission? Or do you hold hers?"

Roxas grit his teeth. "That's not what I meant!" He spat. "We seem to work well together. I've heard you value efficiency above all else!"

"Indeed I do. And the _efficient_ plan is to send you to Traverse Town while Xion goes with Demyx to Neverland." Roxas bit his tongue and refrained from arguing further. Besides, Demyx could use the backup. And Saix isn't the type of guy you want to question for too long. "You both are dismissed." Saix turned his back to them, admiring the heart shaped moon.

Xion wasted no time leaving. She wanted to go to her room and rest before Demyx drove her nuts tomorrow. Roxas lingered a moment with something on his mind.

"Saix…" He beckoned warily. "Have I...would you even know, if I met Alirah and Riku."

Saix's shoulder jerked at the names. He turned his head slightly. His thick bangs hid his scowl. "Why do you ask such a ridiculous question? What purpose does it serve you?"

"It's just their names sound really familiar, and it doesn't seem odd at all that I know them." He explained pensively, conveying that nagging feeling in the back of his mind. "Xion thought so too. She's sure she's heard their names somewhere. She seemed happy about it."

"Preposterous!" Saix spat, spinning to him. Roxas flinched back. "Happiness is not an emotion we feel! We DO NOT feel! Therefore, Xion is in more dire need of rest than assumed!" Roxas almost regretted asking. "And second: forget about Alirah and Riku! While searching for them is a priority, it is not a number one concern! Put them out of your mind and complete your work!"

"R-Right. Sorry. Going!" Roxas bee lined straight out of the lounge.

Saix nibbled on his lower lip, fuming at Kingdom Hearts. "Keep that filthy traitor out of mind!" He hissed at himself. "She is a liar, a manipulator...lethal vermin worse than a plague with a cute face." He slapped a hand over his mouth. "No! No! Do not go back there!" His teeth lengthened into fangs. "This is how she operates! This is how she'll stab you in the back!"

 **xxx**

"IENZO! ISA! WAIT UP!" Alirah waved, sprinting after them. Her slapping sandals bounced off the hallway walls. The two snickered at her, waiting as she caught up. "Sorry...I'm late." She lurched, hands on her knees to regain breath. "Merlin needed me...to clean his small beakers."

"Doesn't the old man clean his own stuff?" Isa scoffed.

"He says," She put on her best Merlin scowl, and used her fingers as a mustache and beard, " _The true appreciation for cleanliness is to clean for others. No-no! Books first!_ " Isa and Ienzo held their stomachs laughing so hard. Ienzo had to leaned on the wall. Isa had tears in his eyes.

"How many times...has he used...that one?!" Ienzo's side stitched.

"By that top notch impression, every day since she moved here!" Isa slapped his knee.

"Come on! We need to hurry!" Alirah was still laughing when she grabbed them by the hand and dragged them down the corridor. "Master Ansem's gonna kill us if we're late!"

"Wouldn't wanna be late for a lecture." Isa remarked sarcastically.

"Better than being stuck with Braig and Aeleus in the training hall." Ienzo countered. Isa shuddered. ... ... ...

The gleeful shadows dashed right by Alirah, just as time seemed to fly right by. She watched her memories. Her bangs may have obscured the glossiness, but the tears streaming to her chin gave it away. All the times she begged and pleaded with Merlin to let her visit them. The ice cream, the pizza, the disciplinary actions - all of it went to dust.

As she was wandering the corridors, she paused regularly at every significant spot. Lea crushing her back, Braig laying her out flat, Even getting her and Ienzo stuck to the ceiling by his own brand of gum. The fallen rock and warped metals aside, Alirah's delusions put back in an immaculate corridor being toured by aged old men with furrowed brows. All the while she and the kids played pranks and tried to get out of lessons.

The end of her memory lane came at Ansem the Wise's door. Opening the door, what was once an office so neat and clean it hurt your eyes was now a disheveled warzone. Books everywhere, papers scattered, broken glass, and years worn drawings on the walls. Alirah snorted, shaking her head reminiscently. She traced her fingers on the drawings, her head spinning trying to comprehend the complex math. Flakes stuck to her tips.

"I knew you scribbled on walls." She ground the flakes. "Bet your head would paint them after it exploded." She addressed the mess. Ansem valued order. This room was utter chaos.

Alirah sat down in Ansem's chair, taking a proud, ego stroking moment to savor it. She's always wanted to sit in it. She couldn't resist spinning, laughing like a kid again. She sat in it once. Ansem lifted her right out, putting her in a dunce cap on a stool. The occasion was spoiled rotten through and through when the chair stopped her at a portrait of sickeningly familiar man.

Lab coat like Even, Ansem's and Ienzo's. _He worked under Ansem._ The tanned skin...dreadful grey hair...eyes that were not his. She grit her teeth, shooting from the seat. It toppled over, breaking more glass. She slammed a fist at the stoic face, hoping, wherever that monster was hiding, could feel it. _His eyes should be blue...not brown. The brown should be on his hair!_ She drew blood biting her lip. The tears kept flowing, tearing her heart in half as the older man in the photo regressed to Terra. "I couldn't save you! I tried! I wasn't...strong enough to..." She waveringly touched the cheek of the portrait. How she wished it was Terra's real face. How she wanted to breakdown and fall to her knees, scream until her voice broke and he would come make the tears stop. "It hurts...Terra. It hurts a lot." She sobbed, clenching her chest. "I couldn't save any of you! I LET HIM TAKE YOU ALL!" She surrendered to her cries, falling to her knees with her arms to the wall. Three charms fell out of her pocket. Her tear filled eyes registered a book, axe-sword, and shield. The smiling faces of Ienzo, Aeleus, and Even made her cry harder. "If only I wasn't such a coward. If only...I had tried harder..."

A man in a long grey and black coat observed her from the doorway. His hands folded behind his back he entered, "Still shedding a tear over the past I see." Alirah's crying stopped on a dime. She hurriedly dried her tears, collected the dropped charms, and rose to her feet. She almost dropped to them again seeing who had entered the room. The old man of her oldest nightmares.

"Xeha...nort...?!" He chuckled at her surprise. "No! It can't be! You can't be here!" She summoned Oblivion. "It's not possible!"

"It isn't. Because I am not him." Xehanort opened his arms, displaying himself. He snorted at his form, almost disappointed. "To be frank, I am not entirely real."

Alirah lowered Oblivion in confusion. She was disgusted the tiniest piece of her bought the oldest excuse in the book. Her trip through Castle Oblivion opened her mind to consider _seeing isn't believing._ Getting a better look, Xehanort was different from before. Less menacing. Dawning her gold eyes, Xehanort wasn't projecting his usual blue aura. In fact there was nothing there. Xehanort vanished into thin air. Returning to red, he reappeared. It gave her a started. She itched her head baffled.

"Before you ask, you didn't hit your head any harder than you normally would." He snidely mocked her. "Though I'm sure you're numb to head traumas by now." Alirah grunted, suspicious clenching her lips. _Sure doesn't sound like Xehanort._

"Then what are you?" She spat, keeping Oblivion at the ready.

"What, indeed." The _false_ Xehanort crooned, tapping his chin. He strolled around the room, stalking Alirah with his hungry gaze. "Castle Oblivion - a Castle fueled by the memories of its inhabitants; regardless of stay. Ansem and Xehanort - manifestations of not only memories, but the darkness festering in yours and Riku's hearts."

"Is there a point in this long, drawn out lecture?!" Alirah impatiently circled her hand. _Am I sure this isn't Xehanort?_

"The Castle freed a great many of secrets about you and Riku." Xehanort swooped around, invading Alirah's personal space well beyond the border. "Crowned realizations of your weaknesses and hindrances, shedding them in the light for all to see. A couple of times," He cupped her cheek, pressing a thumb just beneath her eye, "Forcing you to unleash your dark counterparts." Alirah's eyes widened. In the Castle, she lost herself twice - Lexaeus and Xehanort's fights. Spiraling into the harsh eyes transfixed on her, Xehanort's appearance flashed between that form, his smile widening.

"You're...that's not...how?" Her mind couldn't form a decent sentence. Saying something was impossible was no longer viable. The impossible has been made real and is becoming part of daily life every day. Despite skeptics trying to disprove them.

"I am that which you still fear. Your inner necromancer." He slowly slithered his hands away, flicking her under the chin. he touched his chest, "I've just taken a form more to my liking."

"So the old coot still has a hold." She frothed venomously.

"Did you honestly expect him to lose it?" He chuckled "So long as there is fear in your heart, he will never part."

"I am not afraid of him!"

"Oh yes you are! You're more afraid of him now than you were in the castle!"

"That's a lie!"

"The only remnant of him left is the one resembling Terra!" He shot back. Alirah fell silent. "The one in that portrait."

"You... _we_ don't know what he looks like!"

"Oh-ho! Suddenly we're a _we_?" Xehanort's appearance rippled to a haze, downgrading into the gold eyed, darkly robed girl claiming to be Alirah's other self. "With the way you lock me up, I've developed my own individual sense of self." She flipped her blue hair, and fixed her black and red, stomach split tunic. Maybe it's because Alirah's known Xehanort for so long that her _Necromancer_ adopted portions of his personality. Including his love for stabbing her denials. "For example: Master Zead's letter said what this Xemnas guy looked like Terra. Ansem, our Heartless acquaintance, resembled the old man. You're really going to stand there and tell me-"

"Xemnas looks NOTHING like Terra! THAT," Alirah jabbed the picture, close to tearing it, "Looks nothing like Terra!"

"Are you sure you're sure? Or are you just sick of the old faces not belonging to the people you knew?"

"Wanna know what I am sick of?" The Necromancer folded her arms, raising an intrigued brow. "You waking me up at night! Not even Hiano bugged me this much!"

The Necromancer scrunched her nose, getting in Alirah's face, "I don't bend over backwards for a failed master." She snarled scathingly. "Chernabog and Hiano believed you accepted your role. Truth is, the only thing you've _accepted_ is that you can't get rid of them! No matter how hard you try to suppress them!" The Necromancer's fingers were prodding her shoulder, but it felt more like a knife boring into her. "Grandpa's decision to name you master was premature." That was the knife to plunge deep. Her wound, now a scar, where Ansem stabbed her throbbed. "Expect another chat soon." The Necromancer vanished on a nonexistent breeze.

Alirah's strength faded. She caught herself on the desk, her heart pounding. She held her light head, trying not to throw up. Although it could only improve the room. ' _Grandpa's decision to name you master was premature._ ' Worst part was she hadn't gained control of anything. She didn't conquer anything except her memories. The dark powers inside her were still terrifying. Xehanort still plagued every corner.

"I don't deserve to be a master."

 **xxx**

Riku was wrapped in the warm blanket of sleep. An old mattress with exposed springs was ideal compared to sleeping on not so plush grass and dirt. That heavy feeling normally crushing every fiber of his being was a godsend. He'd never felt so relaxed. So safe. So secure. True he wanted to venture out and tour the town, explore horizons he hadn't had a chance to explore, but he was too tired to think let alone move. He stayed sleeping on his side, fearing if her flipped or changed positions he'd wake up. And right about now he was dreaming of being back on the islands.

"Yess...sleep, my little puppet." A pair of dark lips smirked by his ear. White gloved fingers gently stroked hair behind it. "Sleep. Open yourself to the dark rapture. Let it take you further; melt in it's embrace." Riku's face scrunched. His fingers clawed the pillow. Darkness wafted in a mist, feeding the silver haired figure standing over him. "Can you feel it? The strength the darkness offers? The strength _I_ empower you with?"

"Hnn…" Riku curled in, shivering. The hand moved Riku onto his back, exposing the black hole swirling in his chest.

"Fight all you want. Resist until your body collapses. Run as far as the End of Worlds…" The hand dipped into the hole. Riku tensed, grunting in discomfort. His chest compressed, ready to break in half. "You will never escape me." His fingers opened. "YOUR HEART WILL BE MINE!" The hand snapped to Riku's heart.

"NO!" Riku flew forward, panting heavily. Sweat beaded down his brow. As his eyes adjusted, he found himself in Merlin's home. He started to calm down. The day went by faster than he realized. It was remarkably dark. Merlin, Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon were gone. Probably getting back to work. Mickey and Hiano were still fast asleep. Riku stretched, shaking off the drowsiness. He felt good. Sleep did him wonders.

"Hmm…" Riku touched his ear. He swore he heard someone talking. Someone. As if he didn't know whose. "Ansem…" He snarled the name. He placed a hand over his heart, able to feel his menacing hand crushing it to dust. "Grr...he's still there. Why? I-" Mickey snorted in his sleep, turning on his side. Riku couldn't think aloud here. Mickey's done so much for him already. He needed some air.

Swinging to the floor, Riku tiptoed ever so quietly to the door. The creaking hinges made him cringe. Neither Hiano nor Mickey woke up. Thank goodness. He closed the door, taking care to suppress the click of the hinge. He needed time to think. Mickey and Hiano wouldn't be able to help him with this problem.

Stairs seeming to lead to a view grabbed his attention. He could use a clear view for the cloud in his head.

 **xxx**

" _Well, well, well,_ " An echoing voice brought ice to Alirah's spine, " _Will the nostalgia never cease._ " Alirah whipped around, fortifying in her defensive stance.

A black feather drifting to the ground, swaying daunting side to side. Alirah's trembling eyes leered hatefully. ' _The same black feather...leading to Zack with a sword in his back._ 'The feather touched the metal sheeted floor, then bloomed into a streak of piercing light. Alirah threw an arm up. The enveloping light seeped in her skin, piercing her to the core. It wasn't hurting her, but it wasn't comfortable either. The light was peeling her, prickling like dull knives.

The light faded after a while. Alirah slowly opened her eyes. The world cleared from its blur. She gasped in horror, frozen in place by abject fear. Fear she's only felt once before; when Zack's life came to a bloody end. A foreboding figure with long silver hair and a haunting single black wing was born of the scathing light. A ridiculously long, stainless Katana, drenched with the blood of its victims. That contemptuous smile, those empty blue eyes...

"Sephiroth..." Her strength abandoned her uttering his name.

"It's been quite a long time...Alirah." He chortled her name, savoring never forgetting her. As he's sure she's never forgotten him. He scrolled his gaze up and down her shivering figure. Dark mist amassed, howling in a flare from her. Her shivering, meek presence belied the warrior she direly kept restrained. "My how you've grown. I almost didn't recognize you." He purred, smirking devilishly. The girl before him was different from the girl in the Coliseum.

"Same here. I didn't recognize you with blood soaked in your clothes!" She growled venomously. Zack's blood.

"Still carrying that grudge on your shoulders, I see." Sephiroth nonchalantly remarked. "Tell me, is Cloud harboring similar resentment toward you?" He already knew the answer. Cloud and Alirah's rivalry - grudge match - became stuff of legend amongst those attending the Coliseum battles three years ago. "How is Cloud these day?"

"C-Cloud's not here! How the Hell would I know!" She hissed. Mentally she cursed her stammering. She swallowed before continuing. "I don't give him much thought these days! Go ask him yourself!" _Cloud's all you care about anyway._ It's far from bold to accuse Sephiroth for having ulterior motives for approaching Alirah. Usually Cloud is conveniently close by. Or that used to be the case. She hasn't come across _the real_ Cloud since joining Hades at the Coliseum.

"Such aggression." Sephiroth responded, feigning hurt. "And here I was hoping you've put the past behind you." He narrowed his eyes, admiring her scornful reactions. "You are, after all, hoping to reforge broken bonds."

"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" She exploded, shrieking shrilly. Golden shaded her demonically narrowed eyes. Tears welled in the corners, shaken loose by her trembling rage. She clawed her aching heart, succumbing to the darkness memories. "You..." ' _Zack's lifeless expression...blood pooling around him._ ' "You killed him...YOU STOLE ZACK FROM! FROM CLOUD! I WON'T..." She flourished her hand to the side, "EVER..." Oblivion appeared in a thundering smoke. Sephiroth quirked a brow. "FORGIVE YOU!" Darkness gathered at her soles, launching her across the postern. Sephiroth indifferently followed her leaping into the air. Her speed, her strength, her powers - _A new class of warrior iis attacking me._ The Keyblade raised above her head. She slashed down. The Keyblade seemed to move in slow motion. Sephiroth simply idling as it drew closer. _However..._ Then he smirked. The keyblade came a hair from connecting to his divided bangs and he disappeared. "WHERE-" She touched ground. The space shifted behind her. She whirled around. A hand clamped to her neck, squeezing so hard she let go of Oblivion. It dispersed in light particles. She kicked as she was lifted, prying animally at Sephiroth's hand. _She's not nearly strong enough._

"I am impressed. You powers have matured farther than I anticipated." He stated, ignoring her struggling. "The shackles anchoring them have been loosened greatly, but not released. You still keep them leashed. Too afraid of losing control." Alirah stopped fighting, taken aback by his summation. _How...how could he possibly-_ "The revelation was your attack. The powers begins to flow, strengthening you. Then you cut it off prematurely, becoming weak in the heat of battle." The way Sephiroth spoke, he wasn't referring to her blind attack. He led Aliah back three years to when she and Cloud foolishly rushed Sephiroth. "The same restraint you implemented that cost Zack his life." Sephiroth released her. Alirah dropped to her knees, choking as air flooded her lungs. "So long as you fear these awesome powers, insist on confining them - loss will be your shadow. It will swallow you, leaving nothing by decayed remains."

"What do you know?!" Alirah screeched, pins and needles in her throat. "What gives you the right...to lecture me?!"

"Because I am the darkness Cloud refuses to accept. Your necromancer is a victim of similar contempt." Alirah blinked astonished. In her mind she called him a liar. But in her heart, she knew it he was right. "So long as that's the case," Sephiroth strutted past her, "Your journey will end before it begins."

Sephiroth sounded like her Necromancer. The longer she fights what's apart of her, the worse off she'll be. And the more loved ones she'll lose. "Wait! Seph-"

"Only you have the potential to tame your Necromancer!" He abruptly interrupted.

"Tame it?"

"When you have, you and I will meet again." He spread his one wing. "Be prepared." Rising into the air, the same light that he emerged from swallowed him, leaving Alirah with a difficult decision.

' _I don't bend over for a half baked master!_ ' The Mancer's voice taunted. ' _Grandpa's decision to name you master was premature._ ' She tugged at her black sleeve. ' _So long as you fear these awesome powers, insist on confining them - loss will be your shadow._ ' She gazed fearfully at her elongating shadow.' _It will swallow you, leaving nothing by decayed remains._ ' Returning her to the soulless doll that Maleficent employed.

Rifling in her pocket, Alirah opened her hand, revealing Hiano's charm. The lengths she went through to get him back, to live up to his expectations of a master. Has she failed him? Or is she simply not ready to call herself his master? "Hiano...Grandpa…"

 **xxx**

The Bailey. Riku thought he was crossing over to a whole new world of Hollow Bastion. The tunnel and newly installed gates were a nice touch. And smart. Riku sensed Heartless frequently visit on their spare time. Seeing as they aren't very smart, the gate would throw them off,, force them to retreat for a time. It was still a work in progress. The gaping holes in the floor for example. Stacks of wood and concrete awaiting use. And some rope serving as outlines for other measures Leon and the others might be planning to install. Either that or someone got an artistic flare idea.

Wind from a carved out window gusted his hair, taking him by surprise. Braving the wind, Riku approached the window. The fantastic view beyond it was mindblowing. A vast land of hills and craters, the villa Maleficent often used - Riku wondered how anyone, or why anyone, would destroy a marvel such as this world. "And I helped her along."

Riku pressed his hands to the opening wall, leaning with guilt dropping his head. Sure. He can stand there and pretend Alirah dragged him into this. Say it was her fault he came to wield a Keyblade, was roped into Maleficent's madness. He can dump everything on everyone else, blame them for his CONSCIOUS choice! But he can't. He can't pass blame where it's not due. He could have said no. Implored Alirah to send him back home or wherever Sora was. Pretend like none of it ever happened. That wasn't an option. And now his head was on the chopping block with Alirah's.

"All of those worlds, the princesses - I put myself so deep in darkness, soaking it up like a sponge. Boy did it backfire hard." He laughed derisively at himself. The powers he desperately clung to turned him into a cheap puppet for a maniac. That maniac was still living inside him. He could feel it. Ansem's walking around inside of her, tainting his heart. "Or am I blaming Ansem for something I'm too scared to admit I have no control over?" He droned soberly.

Castle Oblivion thrust him into worlds where he was met by the darkness. Where he used it willingly to ensnare innocent lives in its web. Throughout that entire venture, in order to meet Sora again, he tried to pretend that he wasn't afraid. That the darkness had no effect on him. That...he actually tamed it like the wild animal that it was. Eventually, he was forced to accept the fact that the darkness was as much a part of him as the Keyblade. That if he kept distancing himself from it, it would only cause him greater pain.

"I've accepted that darkness flows within me. That I'm stuck with it." He'd never be rid of the sense the darkness was shackling him. Not for a while anyway. "But...do I really have it under control?" He doubted. "Is the darkness my weapon to wield as I wish? Or is it as Ansem said, and it's corrupting me little by little?" Thought of Alirah turned his spine to ice. "What if the darkness takes control of me one day, and I hurt her again?" The miles of open land was looking pretty good to him right about now. "Can...Can I really just leave?"

Unknown to Riku, Alirah was sauntering sluggishly up the stairs carrying her own worries. Her own darkness was bugging her something fierce too. She saw Riku gazing intensely at the open road. Right there he reminded her of Ven, and how badly he wanted to run away. Eraqus could be unbearable sometimes. Alirah's wanted to run away too. Unfortunately, sooner or later, it all catches up in the end.

"I bet Terra did this as well." Riku jumped, turning to see Alirah walking up beside him. "When left with tough choices, he always found a place where he could think out of the open." She inhaled the fresh air, taking in the nostalgic sights. "Before he left, I'm willing to wager he looked out to this world seeking an answer."

"That answer made him leave you. Something…I admit…I intended on doing." Riku clutched a handful of pebbles. "The darkness in me is still running wild. I feel it grow out of control every night. Hear and feel Ansem taking control. As if what we accomplished in Castle Oblivion amounted to nothing!"

"You're not the only one bothered, Riku." She sternly reassured him, sounding upset by how self-centered he was behaving. "Xehanort…or rather my Necromancer in the form of Xehanort has been keeping me up as well." Riku was shocked. The way Alirah carried herself, he wouldn't have guessed. Not that he didn't have his suspicions. "I have yet to conquer my fear. And if the day comes that I should lose control, and I'm unable to stop myself - like with Xehanort and Aeleus - my goal to earn forgiveness will go up in smoke."

"Funny. It's almost like fate brought us together for this reason." He pet her hair. "We're so much alike."

"Fate's little jokes. That's what we are."

"The worlds around us are the punch line."

Alirah lowered her head, putting her forehead to his shoulder. "I do not deserve the rank of master." Riku sighed resignedly. He can't say he didn't see that coming. "I lost control during my battle with Xehanort...because some part of me was trying to hold it back. I cannot be called a master until I can truly face what I fear, and gain a firm control over my darkness."

"And I can't return home. Not the way I am." He wrapped his arms around her. "I can't face my friends as I am. I can't allow anyone to see…that Ansem still has a good hold on my heart."

"Does that include Mickey?"

"It does. What if the darkness takes over, and he's near? What if you're near and I can't control it."

"That's how I feel. And why…I can't keep Hiano with me." Se showed Riku HIano's charm.

"Really?" Is he sure his head wasn't on crooked.

"Hiano chose me because I am a necromancer, yet I still fear my Mancer powers." She closed her hand, hugging the charm as if hugging him. "Now he is to serve a keyblade master who hasn't conquered her darkness. In my heart I can't stand by him while I know this."

"I feel the same when it comes to Mickey. He wants to be my friend, and walk the roads with me. But…the roads could draw out my darkness…and I don't want him to be there when that happens."

"What will you do?" She stared intently, strengthening a shared resolve.

"The same that you are willing to do." He declared.

"Search for a way to conquer the darkness." Just saying it sounded like a lot of work. If Namine's as good at her job as they think, they might have to play hide and seek with Sora for a while. "It'll give us something to do until Sora wakes up."

"Not to mention it'll keep the organization guessing." The whole reason Diz gave them those cloaks was to obscure them from the Organization. Staying in one spot for too long was going to ruin that plan. They're the only ones who know where Sora is being kept. Hiano and Mickey too. The only difference is, the Organization may not bother with them. Maybe. "What do we do about Mickey and Hiano?" She already knew the answer.

"All of us traveling together will be dangerous. I'm afraid…we can't take them with us."

That's all she needed to hear. She didn't like it. Looking at Hiano charm, thinking about MIckey - it was boiling down to one outcome. Mickey and Hiano...they trusted them; swore they'd stand by their side no matter what. For the first time, Alirah and Riku were going to break their promises. Willingly.

"Won't he be able to follow you? Reappear by your side?"

"Not without this." She assured him. "This charm allows me to summon Hiano from anywhere. It also allows him to know where I'm at all times." She touched her temple. "The most bothersome will be our link. It's not something I can sever. Any trouble I'm in - the smallest pin prick - he's going to know."

"Will he be able to find you?"

"In theory: no." When Ansem threw him through the portal, Alirah hadn't the foggiest idea where he would end up. Lucky it was with Aerith and Merlin. Her luck held up. They would be there for him when they awoke. "This will be the second time you and I will be separated." She kissed Hiano's charm, conveying her unyielding love for her oldest and dearest friend. "It will be the last." She set the charm down. "We can get out through the Villa."

"The door leads to Traverse Town, right?"

"Yeah. But you'd better believe Hiano will catch on to our exit."

"Don't worry." Riku opened a portal. "I'm good at covering our tracks." He guided Alirah in, seeing her wavering resolve clear on her cheeks. Riku entered in after her, then the portal closed.

 **Hope you guys enjoyed.** **See you again later.**


	6. A First Encounter

**A**

 **First**

 **Encounter**

 **Miss me? Sorry. I've been busy with other stuff. Oh well.**

 **Let's get a move on.**

 _ **Recap -**_

 _ **Alirah has vowed to find Xemnas - the mysterious Organization 13 Leader who resembles Terra - and put an end to him. Xemnas, anticipating her arrival, welcomed the challenge.**_

 _ **Xemnas forewarned his remaining Nobodies of the losses they suffered at Castle Oblivion. Roxas worried Axel was among the lost. Next, Xemnas announces the interference of Riku and Alirah, claiming they are warriors with powers over the darkness. Saix, Xaldin, and Xigbar have mixed feelings on Alirah's return. The others, however, find Riku and Alirah's presence to be a problem. Unsure how to handle them. Xemnas explains he wishes for Alirah to join their ranks - by any means necessary. None may kill her. Riku? He doesn't care. With the exception of Saix, Xaldin, and Xigbar, the others are aware of the loop they were being excluded from, but went on with their business. Xemnas can't wait to see Alirah again.**_

 _ **Riku, Alirah, Mickey, and Hiano spent days in the Grassland plains. Traveling to who knows where, well past when night fell. They were driven past exhaustion, passing out from time to time. While sleeping, Alirah and Riku often heard voices in their sleep. They say it's nothing. A lie. Riku knows it's Ansem. Alirah...refuses to believe Xehanort survived as he promised.**_

 _ **Mickey and Hiano are growing worried for their young companions. They hardly sleep, barely talk. Everyday they seem to be wasting away. Hiano knows something is up. But fears pressing Alirah. When night came as it always did, Xehanort loomed over Alirah, and swallowed her and her friends in a darkness.**_

 _ **Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and Merlin found Riku and the others passed out in the Maw. They took them back to Merlin's to rest and heal.**_

 _ **Alirah was falling in her nightmares, sinking under the weight of her loneliness. Shapes and shadows of dear friends vanished before her. Xehanort, emerging from the fears, approached, threatening to claim her soul. Swearing she will become the monster all fear. She calls for Terra, begging for help. Xemnas hears, and is unable to catch her like he promised.**_

 _ **Riku, however, is being subdued by Ansem. Always hearing his voice. When he woke up, Aerith greeted him. Yuffie, Leon, Alirah, and the others welcomed him. The reunion went sour when Leon demanded answers. Riku nearly started a fight. Alirah broke them apart, promising everything - including Mickey, Donald, and Goofy - were fine. But she still had to work to earn his trust again. And milkshakes promised a while back. In the meantime, Alirah and Riku toured Hollow Bastion, looking to clear their heads.**_

 _ **Xion and Roxas are off on missions, thinking about the two Xemnas warned them about. Their names sound familiar to them. Why, is a mystery to them. But it makes them happy saying the names. The two were dismayed when Saix separated them. Roxas to Traverse Town, and Xion to Neverland with Demyx.**_

 _ **Alirah is saddened by a memory of a promise Terra made to always catch her. Adding to the sadness was the destruction she helped Maleficent spread. Her home was in shambles. She was followed by Xehanort's shadow, discovering it to be the Necromancer she still fears. Therefore she'll resemble the man Alirah fears. All of it makes Alirah doubt she deserves to be a master. Considering she was named so for conquering her darkness. Sephiroth, who discovered her at the restoration site, confirms her fear, and warns she will be ended if she does not tame her darkness.**_

 _ **All the while, Riku is being stalked by Ansem's shadow. His journey through Castle Oblivion did nothing to liberate him. It wasn't safe for him to be around Alirah or the others. Alirah, feeling the same way, intercepted Riku's escape attempt, offering to go with him. The two aren't safe to be around others. Or Hiano. The two left through Villains Villa, and are on their way to Traverse Town.**_

 **xxx**

Heavy ebony boots strolled to a rooftop ledge. Awe beamed from a hood's cover. A towering view of a world basked in radiant light. A warming glow emanated, lighting the world up from one end to the next. It was breathtaking. A world for refugees who lost their worlds to the darkness to lick their wounds and rehabilitate. Echoing lively voices belied the horrors its inhabitants faced. Carrying on as if nothing happened. Inspiring. The endless night - stars dancing to the heavenward bliss - basked in the bustling life keeping Traverse Town alive, well, and guarded from the always encroaching darkness. A shame the cloaked figure wasn't able to enjoy it. He was there for business.

' _The_ _efficient_ _plan is to send you to traverse town._ ' A contemptuous voice made him bite his lip. ' _Do you require Xion to hold your hand on every mission? Or do you hold hers?_ '

"Pfft!" The figure extended a foot off the ledge. "No one needs to hold my hand." He mumbled childishly. He stepped off, plummeting into the lights.

 **xxx**

 _I miss you. I think about you everyday. The hours we'd spend lying on the grass. Games we'd invent and have to explain to the Master how the yard got destroyed. My bruises from our sparring sessions are still here. They hurt from time to time too. But...it doesn't hurt nearly as bad...as waking up the next morning...and none of you are there._

 _Seven of you were lost to me by the ill conceived arrival of that disdainful man. He hooked his claws into you. Spread lies about me. Turned you against me! Then, as an all new low, he sent you to collect me. Used you to weaken my resolve. To turn me into a shell less soul, and wander the realm between realms. Serving him. How unfortunate for him. And for the rest of you. I'm not the same sentimental child that allows faces of the past to make me waver. It is a harsh thing to come to grips with. That none of you are the young men I grew to love back in the old days. Twisted by the darkness that consumed you. To think, I almost succumbed to the same darkness. I was saved. And I will save the rest of you. By any means necessary._

 _As for you three...I need to learn what happened to you before I contemplate saving you. There are so many questions I have. Mysteries left unsolved as to how you all ended up disappearing. What caused the rift between such close friends to grow as it did. I know Xehanort set events in motion. I know he is the cause and the effect wrapped into one. But...also...though it pains me to say...you three must have done something...anything...to help him along. Unknowingly or knowingly. That will be determined. Whatever you did, Master Eraqus's Keyblade became ashamed of him._

 _Our adventures began in The Land of Departure. Yours ended in the Keyblade Graveyard. Mine is going to continue until I get what I've wanted. What that is, varies! However, it all leads to the three of you coming back to me. If not, then at least I will have the closure I've been seeking._

 **xxx**

 **Day 62 of 358/2 Days**

A swirling black portal opened at Traverse Town's World entrance. Moogles tossing a volley ball froze, nervously marveling at the spiraling space. The ball bounced off one Moogles Pom-Pom, bending it. Riku and Alirah meandered out from the depressingly dark hole. They sighed with relief, savoring the fresh air filling their lungs. It's suffocating traveling hundreds of miles through a dark portal. Motion sickness interrupted travel here and there. Exhaustion from maintaining the portals will do that to inexperienced dark realm wielders. Right about now, the pair found a silver lining in Maleficent's teachings. During their trip, they put on the cloaks Diz had given them. Their resilience to the teeming darkness wasn't up to par quite yet. The cloaks helped protect them while they walked.

The portal closed behind them. A relief on them both. The bright first district shocked their eyes momentarily. Riku shielded his eyes behind his arm. Alirah threw on her hood. Must have been a longer trip than they realized. The last time they were stupefied by a bright area was walking into Castle Oblivion for the first time. The difference being, Traverse Town is trapped in a neverending night. The flamboyant lights rivaled the pristine white marble. The two batted their eyes. Throbbing blurs cleared steadily. Slowly opening their eyes, they were caught off guard by the small gathering of moogles staring at them.

"Umm…" Riku glanced anxiously back to Alirah. She shrugged, not sure what they should be doing. Appearing in a high traffic section of Traverse Town may not have been the wisest plan. But what could they do? The trip left them exhausted. They've traveled further than this before. But before they weren't worn out from dozens of taxing battles, being devoured by an oppressive darkness, or walking through endless plains for days on end. They're battered worse than pinatas at birthdays. "Hi?" Riku dumbly grinned. Alirah smacked her face. Thankfully, the Moogles picked up their ball, and their stunted legs sprinted for the sanctity of their Synthesis Shop. Riku groaned abashed. Making a joke about _something he said_ tugged at his tongue

"First impressions aren't your strong suit, are they?" Alirah derisively droned.

A red vein popped on his head. "I didn't see you opening your arms!" He snarled. Alirah sarcastically parted her arms. "Try smiling and I might buy it."

"How about I smile in the morning?" Not that Traverse Town has mornings. She stretched her arms behind her head, earning pleasant cracks down her back. "You and I have a long road ahead of us. We should get as much sleep as we can." Falling asleep in a grassland isn't as comfortable as books try to make it out to be. Passing out in a canyon was worse. All of it left them more exhausted than their battles with Xehanort and Ansem.

"Good idea." Riku yawned loudly. If he remembered correctly, the Second District was through the doors past the Moogle's synthesis shop. Smacking his lips, he glided nostalgic eyes over the wide area. It brought a smile to his stiff face. "It hasn't changed at all since we were last here. I'm glad."

"So am I..." Alirah tenderly hugged her elbows.

The first time she and Riku came to Traverse Town was for malicious reasons. It was here they were reunited with friends they declared war on. Donald, Goofy, Sora - three people who hold a special place in Riku and Alirah's hearts. Although, for reasons that are related to the hateful seeds that bloomed within them, those very three were the targets of Riku and Alirah's wrath. Heartless swarmed this town, feeding off the misery and darkness of the refugees who escaped from other worlds. Seeing that the world remained intact after all that's happened, and free of the heartless wrath - a sense of accomplishment pooled to Riku and Alirah. Even though it was thanks to Sora this sort of peace was possible. Come to think of it, he, Donald, and Goofy might have earned that rest Namine put them under.

"I wish we could play tourist. But it won't be long before Hiano realizes we took this door." Alirah warned him.

Leaving Hiano behind was a difficult decision on Alirah's part. Unless a mission deemed it necessary, they've never been apart. Save for when Ansem tore Hiano from her and threw him through a portal. Any other time, Hiano would simply draw power from the charm he lives in and return to Alirah's side. Unfortunately it won't be so easy this time. Alirah left his charm behind so he wouldn't track her down. The spiritual bond of their contract forever binds them, this is true. Distance cannot so much as dent it. Undoubtedly, should they end up within range of one another, Hiano and Alirah will be able to detect each other or hear each other's thoughts. Telepathy was their means of communications. Seldom were they able to think to themselves. And, thanks to Zead in Castle Oblivion, Alirah doesn't have to worry about her Keyblade appearing or not. After Hiano's keyblade became a charm, his ties to her weapon didn't prohibit its summoning. Long story short, Alirah and Hiano are temporarily blind to each other. But Alirah isn't so cocky. Hiano knows her movements better than anyone. Even if he can't sense her, he can surely track her down. Riku will soon follow.

"Don't worry. I made sure no one could follow." Riku reassured her, shrugging his hand at the minor issue. Alirah arched a curious brow. He walked away before she could ask what he did. Then a chill scrolled her spine. _He didn't._

 **xxx**

Mickey's mouth flew open, casting a drowsy yawn halfway across Merlin's workshop. His back arched from the wall he'd slept against, arms stretching and brushing the brick. He smacked on his dry lips, leisurely fluttering his eyes to wake himself up. He felt amazing as he stretched his tired muscles. The sleep of the dead that was. He can't remember the last time he's slept so peacefully, or so well. Moving his sleepy eyes to the window, he was stunned it was bright outside. He slept the entire night well into the next day. It may very well be the middle of the day. No matter. At least he was waking up in a cozy home instead of miles of grassy fields. He nestled back in place with his arms folded behind his head. Once he's had a chance to wake up a bit, he was going to peruse the town. Nothing can ruin this moment for him.

"ANSWER ME, WIZARD, OR FACE MY WRATH!"

"WAH!" Mickey bounced six feet, and landed defensively with his Keyblade drawn. He scoured for signs of danger, but found nothing to be amiss. "Huh?"

"Do not take that tone with me, Serpent!" Mickey's brow quirked. There's no danger, so to speak. Merlin and a humongous Hiano were squaring off in the center of the workshop. Vicious sparks surged between their contemptuous glares. Miraculously, none of the light bulbs were flicking on. Poor Aerith stuck herself between them. Her frail arms the only defense should things get out of hand. "I know nothing!" Merlin boomed his decree.

Hiano roared like a caged animal, throwing himself to side side. Merlin was impassive to the shaking cottage. Aerith and Mickey braced themselves. "Do not feign innocence with me, Arcanist!" Pearl black venom dripped from his lengthened fangs. Rows of studded teeth lined his jaw. His coiled body fidgeted as he willed himself not to risk passing Aerith to strangle the wizard. "I KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE THEY WENT!"

"I do not! And yelling about it isn't going to change that!"

"Then perhaps you eliminated them whilst we slept! It would not be the first time!" Hiano leveled himself to strike. Aerith bolstered her body. She was no match for the ancient serpent, but she will not allow harm to come to Merlin. Hiano drew himself back. Merlin reached inside of his robes.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Mickey roared. Hiano froze inches from Aerith. Merlin's wand hilt barely left the sleeve. All three heads turned to the cloaked Mouse King. He ensnared them with his glare, warning every last one of them not to so much as breathe a word until he's spoken. "What's going on?!" He demanded answers.

"I am going to pry this foul wizard's mouth open and leave him unrecognizable as scavengers piece him apart!" Fumes hissed from Hiano, his forked tongue flicking. Mickey and Aerith shivered at the image.

"You are as truculent as your master!" Merlin scolded, moving into his defensive stance.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF HER!" Hiano edged closer. Aerith moved herself in front of Merlin. Hiano will not forsake the kindness Merlin has shown by allowing their refuge in his home. But he also has not forgotten the terrible deeds this man has done to his lady, and him! Turning him into a keyblade, and then attempting to kill his owner! He will be damned if he ever lets Merlin forget the sins he's committed. "You've not yet earned the right to speak of her so disrespectfully!"

"STOP!" Mickey's voice boomed. "EVERYONE CALM DOWN THIS INSTANT!" He hoped his volume masked the shiver in his tone. He is also a conspirator against Alirah. Hiano restrained himself from prying Merlin in half. He reduced his size considerably, lingering at the size of a fully grown python. Aerith relaxed her arms, but stayed in Hiano's path. She had latched her hand onto Merlin's wrist, forbidding him from unsheathing his wand. "Now someone - ANYONE - please explain to me what's going on!"

Aerith motioned her hands at Merlin and Hiano, wanting them to promise to behave. Under protest, Merlin sheathed his wand and Hiano retracted his fangs. The warring two spread apart to opposite corners. Aerith released her first breath in ten minutes. "Alirah and Riku are gone. Leon, Yuffie, and the rest of us can't find them anywhere!" She cleared the air, cupping hands to her worried heart. Mickey gaped in shock. Now that he takes a look, neither of them were in the workshop. Alirah left to go tour the world she once knew. Riku fell asleep last time he checked. "They left this!" Aerith handed Mickey a slip of paper just as he was about to ask for a clue.

Mickey studied the paper closely. His heart plummeted to his stomach. It was a letter from Riku and Alirah.

 _The darkness is still there._

 _We can't risk hurting you two._

 _We're sorry._

"I...I don't understand…" Mickey sank gloomily, glancing with disbelief between the note and floor.

The darkness is bothering them? That can only mean one thing. The shadows of Ansem and Xehanort are tormenting Riku and Alirah again. He should have guessed as much. Mickey wished he could ask how this is possible. He wasn't shocked in the slightest those monsters wouldn't give up the ghost. Mickey already assumed braving Castle Oblivion and the memories it held wouldn't dispel the grip Ansem and Xehanort had on those two. The trauma and tortures those two inflicted upon his friends extends well beyond the core of their bodies and souls.

Ansem - tempting Riku with power beyond his mortal comprehension, succeeding in doing so while also taking control of his body. Forcing him against his will to destroy Sora, Alirah, his home, and those around him. Through this, he secured a place in Riku's heart, immersing himself in the darkness Riku must wield if he is to stand a chance against the foes he will likely face. To draw on this power would mean to grant Ansem what he desires.

Xehanort - a figure that has followed Alirah from childhood onward, appearing around every corner and tearing her apart every chance he had. Robbing her of those she grew to love, and then trying to destroy her in the process. She developed an irrational fear of him, and that is what granted a piece of him a place to hide within her. Watching and waiting for the day her powers would leave her vulnerable for him to destroy her with.

Both failed in their pursuits. Both were defeated at every turn. But both were far from done. Before leaving Castle Oblivion behind them, Riku admitted that Ansem's darkness was curdling inside of him. The iron clad hold the Heartless Shadow had on him hadn't vanished at all. It was simply suppressed; sleeping until the day comes when his strength comes to its full fruition. The same may very well be said for Alirah. In the plains, though she tried to play it off and blocked Hiano from seeing, she was hearing voices. Who's voice? That is a guess, but...

"Wait a minute!" Mickey just realized something. Hiano was still in the cottage. "Alirah left without you?! Why haven't you teleported to her yet? Your charm allows you to do that, right?" Mickey's vague on the permissions his bond with Alirah grants him. Though he recalls Hiano is able to be a lengthy distance away and can return to his charm at will. There is also a mental link that he and Alirah share. That can be the key to finding Riku and Alirah.

"Were it that my charm was with her." Hiano loosened his tail from under his coils. The dangling charm made Aerith and Mickey falter at the barricade they hit. "There are quite a few contingencies in our bond. While a Keyblade, leaving Alirah's side meant denying her Serpent's Cry." Aerith remembers something like that. Although, Hiano was a Keyblade at the time, and there was a minor hiccup. If Hiano was too far away, Alirah couldn't summon her keyblade...or him. She isn't clear on the rules of the charm. "As a charm, that ability is only possible if she has my charm with her. I could travel as far as I wished and could reappear in the blink of an eye right by her side." He set the charm to the table. "Abandoning it has ensured I cannot find her."

"Aren't you two able to speak through your minds?" Merlin gruffly remarked.

Hiano did not react to the snide comment. Its not a secret, nor did he or Alirah try to make it one. It was more of an inside joke of theirs. Their empathetic link allows them to feel each other's pain. A mental link lets them communicate through their minds from a great distance. Hiano and Alirah were on opposite sides of Agrabah and had a clear connection.

"Again, she is too far away." Hiano grimly informed. There went another life line. "Although, if by some chance I come within range, I will be able to sense her." And maybe, just maybe, he may feel when Alirah has taken damage in a fight. That is a matter of when.

Mickey saw this was leading to nowhere. He brought his attention to Merlin. "When did they leave?"

Merlin hummed, stroking his beard pensively. "Sometime last night. I watched them enter the Maw and that was it." Her glanced to the side at Hiano's hissing growls.

"Then you spoke falsely when you said you had no inkling of their whereabouts!" Hiano erected half his body, wiggling dangerously and fully fanning his hood. "How like a wizard to twist the truth and cloud the minds!"

"Do not disparage me, serpent!" Merlin stomped forward, aiming his wand for the cursed beast's heart. "Or shall I dispatch you to the Underworld to your former master?!"

"Not before I add you to my collection with Morgana!" Hiano cackled menacingly, slurping his lips. "She's quite lonely without, Dearest Merlin!" Erratic streams spiraled to Merlin's wand. The wizard was seething with rage.

"ENOUGH!" Mickey roared again, unintentionally summoning his keyblade. He was dismayed by his actions. Hiano and Merlin registered the threat - or lack thereof. Mickey would never harm them, but it is unwise to test the apprentice of Yensid. With the commotion quieting down, Mickey was able to gather his thoughts. _The maw?_ He knows of it. That is the massive gorge they were found in. He's walked it before. Miles of wasteland and ruins, leading to a pit to houses a tower. That's all that's out that way as far as he knows. "That leads to…the villa on the edge of town. Why would they go there?"

"Villains Villa? THE DOOR!" Hiano gasped. "There is a door in Villains Villa that Ursula, Hook, and Oogie had to utilize." They weren't able to tear open holes like Jafar, Maleficent, or Hades.

"LET'S GO!" Mickey bolted out the door. Hiano whisked around in a loop, growing in size as he scooped up Merlin, Aerith, and Mickey.

The trio screamed during the first half of their serpentine roller coaster ride. Hiano stopped, turned, and scaled buildings on a dime. They'd cringe as walls breezed an inch from their skin. Merlin gaped in utter amazements. Even darting past Yuffie and Leon, Hiano never touched or damaged a thing in his path. The muscles in his body and those sharp eyes inextricably communicating to avoid causing a danger. Simply amazing. Shooting straight up the buildings and diving down, Aerith was terrified she'd fly off. Hiano's scales had amazing grip. She never parted. Mickey held on for dear life, feeling his body jerked on the sudden stops. He's braved the realm of darkness, fought his way past armies of heartless, but this experience takes the cake. Once they cleared the city, entering into the maw itself, the trio gradually relaxed, and found the ride to be...exhilarating. Fun, if they wished. No wonder why Alirah and Riku spent so much time on him.

Hiano was able to bring them to the peak of the tower. Their legs hadn't regained their strength, but he was able to dismount his passengers safely in the grand hall. Entering the malicious space, it was evident the light was strangled from it. The ebony and violet decor snuffed the midday light trying to trespass from outside. It was suffocating. Scary even. The idea a heartless, or something far worse, would jump out and attack prickled Aerith and Merlin's backs. The amazing view was the sole crowd pleaser of the villa. The inside was in utter shambles. Without Maleficent and her thorns, the villa wasn't able to maintain itself in its immaculate state. The stone centerpiece round table had cracks webbing throughout it. The ceiling hung open like a rotting wound. The very walls themselves were on the verge of collapse. That was not all that was collapsed.

The door Hiano mentioned was on the farthest side of the room. A large stone ring carved from the wall itself. Steps that allow easy passage inside. However, the steps were leveled to rubble on the ground. As was the door. Cracks webbed to the wall, spreading from the decimated door. A gaping hole in the entryway lead to a pitfall of sorts. Chunks were broken off, and crumbled to the ground. The means of powering the door was long gone. And yet another barrier in their path to reclaim Riku and Alirah was thrown up.

"Riku must have done this." Hiano surmised, knocking standing debris over. Aerith stooped to her knees, cradling a heart shaped piece in her hands. Internal damage broke it in half, breaking hers next. _Alirah...Riku..._ She hugged the pieces close. Merlin said nothing. Only turned his back, lowering his head with a somber grumble. Hiano's outburst aside, recent events rekindled a care Merlin held for Alirah. Knowing he can't reach her, or her friend, saddened him.

Mickey clenched heated fists, animatedly shaking his head in denial. "Why?!" He seethed. Why are they running from them? Why won't they let them help? "Why wouldn't they want us there for them?!" He roared. Then he remembered the letter. Reading it again, the passage, _We don't want to hurt you_ , chilled him to the bone. "Riku...Alirah..."

"Traverse Town." Hiano muttered, regaining the floor. He moved to the destroyed door, piercing the darkness within to see the town that awaited on the other side. "This door's closest link is Traverse Town."

"They can teleport, right?" Aerith recalled, touching her chin confusedly. "Why would they need to use the door?"

"Riku and Alirah have yet to recover from their previous battles and the journey through the plains. So teleporting is out of the question." Those two are the epitome of exhausted. If they left the previous night, then it is safe to assume they've yet to properly rest. "If they went anywhere, it would be there. It's the only world where Heartless cannot presently trespass."

"Then we need to get there!" Mickey declared, locking fierce eyes with Hiano. Pleasant chills crawled over his scales. He wasn't aware the Mouse King could be so scary. "These two have been by themselves for a long time. It's time they remember there are others standing with them!"

 **xxx**

Riku and Alirah checked into a room at the Hotel in the second district. The clerk recommended the Lover's Suite or the Honeymoon Suite. You know, so Riku and Alirah can have the five star treatment as they share _tender_ moments together. Their faces had never turned so red in their lives. Alirah nearly collapsed from a heat stroke. Riku adamantly, and quite loudly, stated that it wasn't like that at all. What he kept to himself, that made Alirah crouch and brood in a corner, is that they haven't quite...reached that level in their relationship yet. That's why he's asking that the room has two beds instead of one. While to others it may seem better to rent out separate rooms, Riku and Alirah wanted to be on the safe side and stay in the same room. Until the clerk opened his lewd mouth, they were very ignorant of what they'd just decided to to. Not that it should matter, right? They've slept together before. Outside, in Hollow Bastion, and in very odd places - sure. But...would it really be...so awkward if...if they lied down in the same bed? THEY WANTED TWO BEDS AND THAT'S FINAL!

The purple room was all theirs. Room service would be provided for cleaning, meals, and others needs. The pipe phones mounted to the wall can be used if they need anything. **(** _ **No idea what they are called.**_ **)** The second the attendant left, the two collapsed winded to the beds, groaning exasperated. The clerk might have actually beaten the wind out of them.

"I can't believe he said something like that to us!" Riku moaned, sinking on his back. Alirah pulled a pillow over to hide her stuck red face. She whimpered into the plush silk, kicking her legs wildly. That clerk thought they were gonna...WHAT AN IDIOT! "Then again…" Riku lurched upright. Alirah froze in mid tantrum. She moved the pillow off her ears, "Maybe...Maybe we could...that is…" He sheepishly smiled, fumbling as he rubbed the back of his neck. He tapped on his chin to find the best way to put it. "We've...been together for a while now. Crossed lines and...and other stuff…" Alirah's fingers clawed the pillow, threatening to tear it in half. "Would it be wro-" The pillow thwacked upside his head, knocking him flat on his back.

Alirah was frothing at the mouth, arm stretched in the throwing form. She hyperventilated through gritted teeth, turning redder than her eyes. "WE'RE NOT DOING THAT!" She shrieked. Riku massaged his sore head. She has a good pitch. He furrowed his brow, pouting rather hurt that she was completely against the idea. Alirah puffed her cheeks. She curled into herself, nervously bouncing her index fingers together. "At least...not while we're...busy with this…" Riku brightened at the obscure maybe. He blushed madly instead of smiled. He didn't think she'd agree, or consider it. "Anyway...what are your plans?"

"What do you mean?" Riku sat to the bed's edge.

"I know we set out together and all…" She fiddled her fingers anxiously in her lap, "And that we're waiting for Namine to finish up with Sora." Riku hears what she's saying, but isn't quite grasping at her meaning. "But...isn't there something you want to do in the meantime?"

"Like what?" He brought one foot to the bed, leaning on it with a curious look. What was she expecting him to say?

Aside from the reason they left Hollow Bastion in the first place, Riku recalls another motive. The Nobodies, The Organization members - the man named Diz said they would be hunting Riku and Alirah down. The cloaks they wear protect them from darkness, and blind them from their sights, and their apparently sensitive sense of smell. Their hearing, not so much.

What else does Alirah expect to do? Riku could see she wanted to say something, or ask about something. Her previous question caught him off guard. Then Riku's eyes widened. _Does she intend to...to go her own way?_ He remembers Alirah saying she wanted to apologize to her old friends about the trouble she caused. But that can't be all.

"I...I don't really know, frankly." He bashfully scratched his cheek.

Riku hasn't put too much thought into it. When he thinks about it, his only plan was to bide time until Sora awakens. The Organization Diz warned them about, the people they faced in Castle Oblivion, have set their sights on him, Riku, and Alirah. Namine's protecting Sora by fixing the damage she'd caused. Riku and Alirah are pretty much on their own. Nothing but the cloaks Diz handed them, and their skills to defend them in the event they are discovered. Watching their step and forethought will be the key to surviving. After Sora awakens...what happens next is anyone's guess.

"To be honest, I want to go back to the islands." He spoke uneasily. Deep down he knows he can't return to his old friends the way he is. How can he face them? What would he say? ' _Hi guys, sorry I've been gone. I was trying to destroy Sora and was possessed by a maniac?_ ' Yeah. He can see that conversation going over _so well_ in his mind. All the same, he wanted to pass by, make sure that Destiny Island and its people truly returned after Sora defeated Ansem. "I want to make sure the others are alright. Also…" He curled and uncurled his gloved hand, "Maybe confronting those that I've hurt will help me beat the darkness inside of me." Alirah can sympathize. She had a similar plan, though not quite that one. "What are _you_ going to do?" He rerouted the question.

Alirah finally breathed and looked him straight in the eye. "What I set out to do years ago. Find out what became of Terra, Aqua, and Ven." She's only ever wanted answers. What was the rift she sensed between them? Why did it happen? What caused them to disappear? Finding Terra and the others, subconsciously, was always second. Why fight to find and bring three people together when you don't know what tore them apart? When all you have are pieces that don't seem to fit? Then again, her mission for answers and her friends seemed to cohesively coincide with one another. "I need to retrace their steps. Backtrack to all the worlds they visited, leading the their fate in the Keyblade Graveyard." Everything began in The Land of Departure, fractured on Hollow Bastion, and dissolved at the graveyard. She has to follow that trail wherever it may be.

"How do you plan to do that?" Riku stroked his chin.

"We all traveled to the same worlds. Then I was left on...Hollow Bastion…" Her brain faltered for a second. _That was weird._ She rubbed the side of her head. _I almost forgot the name of my second home._ She internally laughed. "And then it's a snowball's throw from there."

"I don't mean to sound pessimistic," Yet the downer was going to muddle her plans, "But, Ali, it's been nine years. Those three could have traveled to dozens of worlds since Hollow Bastion." Dozens to hundreds of worlds if one considers those yet to be visited. "Not to mention, the people they might have met may or may not remember them. How are you going to figure out which ones they went to? Or which direction they were heading?"

"I...really don't know." If she was being honest with herself. The only worlds she knows they visited or Dwarf Woodlands, Castle of Dreams, and Enchanted Dominion. There was also Yensid's Tower. Hollow Bastion. The Graveyard at some point in their trip. "Somehow...I know...I'll be able to track their movements." She touched a hand to her heart. "They'll guide me. Just as they always have." Sucks she lent her Wayfinder to Donald. A silly promise that they will see each other again. "Besides, I know for a fact Hades and Hook crossed paths with them. Minnie and the others too. Those are as good of places to start as any."

"Do you think...that'll help?" Help is a mild term. Alirah is in dire need of help. What he's really asking is, "Do you really think this will bring Terra, Aqua, and Ven back?"

Alirah released an agitated sigh. While reuniting with her friends has been a dream of hers...it isn't what she TRULY wanted. "Riku, Castle Oblivion revealed much to me." She dug out the charms Vexen, Zexion, and Lexaeus transformed into after their deaths. "Raised so many questions I never began to think of asking. Made me remember things I've tried to block out." Her brain was swelling from all of the old memories clashing with the new. The strongest unit of friends broken apart in seconds. She closed her fingers around the charms. "Simply finding them...won't bring me the closure I want. I have to understand why they vanished. What started driving them apart?"

Riku gradually understood. If she learned what it was that led up to them disappearing, growing farther apart, it may help her move on entirely. Start living. _Huh._ Riku snorted a bit enviously. It may not be foolproof, it may very well take her years to accomplish, but Alirah seems to have her path paved. "What if the answer...is worse than the ignorance?" He hesitantly asked.

"Then that will be another burden I carry." She has an elephant load of them. What's a few more? "But I won't stop searching until I learn what caused their rift. And why Master Eraqus's Keyblade was so ashamed of its wielder." _Also...there's that Vanitas boy._ Xehanort's shadow revealed his ultimate purpose. Become one with Ven to forge the ultimate keyblade. Naturally, Alirah would have to assume his role was to lead Ven on. Terra and Aqua would have been bonuses. Vanitas is a small nag, but not her main concern. Although, something tells her she'll learn about him whether she wants to or not.

Riku hummed in deep thought, stroking his chin. Back at Castle Oblivion, he declared to Diz that he would walk the road to dawn. The way to tomorrow that will fade into another night. So far, Riku doesn't feel as if he's journeyed far on that road. More like he just stepped outside his front door and is waiting on the stoop for something to catch his eye. _How will I arrive to dawn? When I reach it?_ He pondered. _Tomorrow? Next week? Next year?_ He placed a hand over his heart. Closing his eyes, using the room's silence to mute all other sounds, he sensed the darkness within him pulsating. Beating irregularly like a weak heartbeat. _Can I fight the darkness long enough to reach it? And Sora..._ He curled his fingers to fists. That dopey, grinning boy he's hurt time and time again, _What will he say when he sees me again? What will he do?_ He bit his lower lip. _Can I look him, or Kairi, or anyone in the eye again?_ Alirah's journey is going to take her to worlds with people she's hurt as well. She's scared witless of not knowing what they'll do. Riku understands completely. He wants to cover Traverse Town in nervous vomit.

Sitting there in a room wasn't helping him any. He needs fresh air. "I'm going for a walk. When do you want to leave again?" It'd be best to rest and leave as soon as possible. Hiano and Mickey may be delayed, but that Organization might be close by.

"Whenever you're ready." Alirah shook her head indifferently. She snuggling to a pillow, lying comfortably to the thick mattress. "I'll just catch up on my sleep for now." Sounds like a plan. Riku gently closed the door behind him, then meandered out the door. He chose to head to the third district to see if it was still in one piece.

As he rounded the alleyway corner, a figure cloaked in black sauntered on scene from district one. He removed his hood. Roxas's blondish hair wafted in the funneled breeze. His deep blue eyes glistened in the majesty of the larger district. Utter disbelief robbed him of words. For a world that is supposed to have an increased heartless presence, the surrounding lights were blinding. He stopped gawking to remember his hood. He shouldn't be taking it off in public places. Luckily everyone seemed to be asleep. UNLUCKILY, there wasn't a sign or antenna of a heartless anywhere. Not in the first district where he just came from, or here in the second. The third might have some. He should inspect the second district a bit more before he leaves.

"Hmm…" Roxas felt something tug his attention toward the gizmo shop on the other side. Following the marble structure up, he was drawn to the bell tower on the roof. Nostalgia washed over him. The rope he could make out brought familiar imprints to his palm. As if he's pulled on it before. "Why does that seem so familiar?" He doesn't understand why, exactly, but he feels something bad will happen if he pulls the rope. He decided to go over and get a better look. It might be what he needs to draw heartless out.

 **xxx**

Alirah's developing insomnia. She maybe closed her eyes for five minutes and then inflicted by restlessness. Too many thoughts and apprehensions running rampant in her head. She's circling the drain of insanity. And she'd be a terrible person if she said she doesn't know why. She followed Riku's example and went for air. Maybe she'll knock out in the middle of the second district.

The hotel doors closed with mild slap. Alirah ran fingers through her hair. Her head was pounding. The worst part, it's pounding because guilt was curdling her stomach. "Hiano will never speak to me again after this." While their empathetic link transcends all, their telepathic link is limited. It stops functioning when they are on different worlds. Nevertheless, Alirah transparently felt Hiano gnawing at the back of her head. Pleading for her to let him know where she was...so he can return to her side.

"I'm sorry, Hiano. But I can't let you follow an uncertain master. Huh?" There was a figure in the middle of the district. Wearing a black cloak! "The Organization!" She ducked behind the stunted wall, pulling her own hood over her head. Oblivion materialized to her hand. "That was quick! How'd they know we'd be here?!" Questions for later. She stalked low, moving far out of his peripheral. Alirah peered over, using the stone signage as a second cover. The Nobody had his back to her. He seemed more interested with the bell tower for some reason. "Perfect…" Alirah isn't one for cheap shots. Though she may never get a better shot than this. A fireball ignited in her palm. The figure reached and tossed his hood off. Alirah was caught off guard by the spiky, dirty blond hair. The fireball extinguish. The head of hair was nappy yet...had a neat character to it. Kind of spiraled too. The style...was an awful lot like-

The man grunted, sensing eyes on him. He turned around. Alirah's eyes widened. A shaky, terrified breath trembling her chest. He wasn't a man, but young boy. With the deepest sea blue eyes...and a forever childish face. _It can't be...it couldn't be..._ But she's looking straight at him. Looking at, "Ven?" Tears welled in her eyes.

The boy who remarkably resembled Ven spotted Alirah standing on the upper level. He doesn't recognize her. _Could she be a person from this town?_ If so, Saix is going to kill him for being discovered. "UGH!" Seeing her in his garb put him on the defense. An imposter! "She's not one of ours!" He summoned his Keyblade.

The silver and gold weapon sparkled in Alirah's eyes. _A keyblade?_ He has a keyblade. It's not Ven's original keyblade, but she isn't splitting hairs. _It's him! It's really him?! Ven?!_ She swung herself over the wall. The boy ran forward, stopping several feet in his stance. Her arms and body swung languidly as she rose. Her eyes were frozen open. "Ventus? Is that you?" Her trembling body quaked her voice.

"I'm...sorry?" His stance slumped under the confusion. _What's a Ventus?_

 _His voice!_ Alirah was bombarded by a tidal wave of happiness. She'd never forget that voice. It was Ven's to a Tee. Albeit a little dreary. Who is she to criticize. "It really is you! Ven!" She tackled him with a hug. The boy gasped, staggering to stay standing. Her turned fifty shades of red. "Oh, Ven! I've missed you so much!" She wept. There's no doubt about it. This was Ven. She's found him! _They...they must be alive!_

"H-Hey! Hey! Who are you?!" The boy wiggled uncomfortably. He debated pushing her off as he kept his hands up. Being hugged by a girl is one thing. Touching her? That might make his teenage mind split.

"Ven! It's me! Alirah." She displayed with a spread of her arms. He was still confused. Nine years is a long time. Though how many red eyed, blue haired girls does he know? "Don't you recognize me? I know its been a while but-" That brought an interesting thought to Alirah. Nine years. Now that she looks him over, Ven hasn't changed. AT ALL! He still looks like a 14 year old boy. "Hey, how come you haven't aged?" She poked at his cheeks. Not that she wants his adorable boy figure to go, but even for her this was strange.

"I'm sorry, but…" He grabbed her hands, pushing her out of his bubble, "You have the wrong person!" He stressed, finally able to speak again. Alirah tilted her head. Same voice, same hair, same height - this is Ven. She's sure of it. "I'm not this Ven guy! My name is Roxas."

"Rox...as..."

"Yes! My name is Roxas! I'm...I'm sorry!" He wasn't really sure what to say. He should be asking why she's dressed like him.

The name sent Alirah's mind into a spiral. She braved the gap, cupping his cheeks. Roxas mumbled protests, glancing everywhere except to her. He sounded like Ven. Looked like him. Yet, looking closer - golden eyes peering into a nonexistent soul - the color was all wrong. A...conglomerate of auras, none seeming to belong to Ven. "You're not him." Her shaking hands left his cheeks. Despaired tears trickled. "You're really not him." Her jaw ground, fighting the sobs wanting to howl to the night. "And here...I thought..." She hung defeated, tears watering the stone. For one glorious second...she thought she had one back. She thought...she prayed...at least one of them had returned. Instead...he's just another imposter. Like Vexen, Axel, Zexion, and Lexaeus. "This game he plays...has grown tiresome." Her sobs replaced by a drone. She wiped the tears away. "I'm tired of you all...wearing the faces of my friends...speaking to me with their voice...it's all-grown-OLD!" She grit her fang like teeth, throwing her hand out. Black flames slithered from her shoulder along her arm. The flames came to her hand, summoning Oblivion.

"A Keyblade!" An impressive one at that. Roxas jumped several feet back. This Alirah girl is also a wielder. "Wait! You're THAT Alirah?" He readied his keyblade.

" _THAT_ Alirah? As if there's another!" Alirah scoffed venomously. Her bangs hid her crazed eyes. "Even hearing you say my name disgusts me!" Darkness wafted from her upper body. "Your voice, your color - all of it! It's wrong!" She bit her lip, drawing blood, futilely trying to stay her rage. The drumming of her chest made her nerves throb. Everything was spinning. She was on the verge of crying. "You're nothing but an imitation. A FAKE!" A false Riku, a false Alirah. A false Even, Ienzo, Aeleus, and Lea. Her eyes opened. Pure gold slits rooted Roxas, trapping him like a deer in headlights. "And all fakes...WILL DIE!" Roxas darted to his stance in a panic. Alirah's keyblade was already aimed at his hollowed chest. Dark fiery flakes spiral the keyblade, orbiting to a focal point at the tip. Roxas mentally cursed. He isn't ready. "BURN IN HELL WITH THE REST!"

Black fire roared in a narrow, spiraling stream. Roxas, in desperation, crossed an arm and his blade. He dug in his feet, closed his eyes. The blast pried him off ground. He was weightless. The town raced past him. The Gizmo Shop's marble wall connected with is back. White hot prickling robbed him of wind. Alirah stood firm. Her arm trembling under the strain of maintaining the blast. The relentless stream burrowed fiercely. Flesh to marrow splintering and blistering. Roxas grunted in agony. His arm, leading to the shoulder, ran numb. The Keyblade, as it struggled to repel the sweltering blast, was alight in a searing red. Thin, white cracks snaked the blade. Alirah grit her teeth. She thrust her palm, fueling the flames, smashing him further into the giving wall. Roxas yelped at the splintering sensations scaling his back. Cracks webbed in a wall. The blast's intensity burnt past the keyblade - a burst of ethereal orbs- burning the sleeve of his cloak, and searing his skin. One final push from Alirah. The fiery blast touched Roxas's chest. The wall crumbled, and he was shot through and out to the other side. The flames died on the wind. Hissing steam smoldered from Alirah's stiffly clenching palm. She blew off the steam, glowering at the gaping hole.

 **xxx**

Riku was seated at the third district fountain. The splashing water calmed him, freed his rampant thoughts to flow smoothly. A thunderous boom derailed his train completely. Images of the crash not included. He sprang to his feet, gasping at the stack of smoke climbing from the second district. An air of immense power washed over him, bringing on a chill he knows too well. "Alirah?"

 **xxx**

Moogles running the gizmo shop flew into a panic, scrambling in rampant circles. Roxas was halfway conscious amongst the rubble. Moogles bounced off his stomach, head, and legs. Violent jolts revived him. Or maybe it was the lack of air giving him his second wind. It was like being pounced on by mini boulders. Roxas dazedly placed a hand to his pounding head. The world was in a rippling blur. "What...hit me…?" He slurred. The strength of a thousand heartless pummeled him like a party favor. A thousand more only came right before the wall finally couldn't withstand the strain. _The power she has is insane._ Roxas was starting to think the heartless presence was her. He needs to report back right away. The air suddenly became cold around him. Roxas sluggishly propped onto his elbows. His stomach dropped into his bowels. "Oh...man…"

Alirah stood atop the rubble at the hole. Ribbons of darkness emitting from her tickled the walls, threatening to choke the life clean out of him. Her glossy crimson eyes, refined like the smooth edge of a dagger, radiated with a demonic glow. Roxas twitched to retreat. Alirah's first step inside resounded like thunder, magnetizing each limb to stay in place. Red replaced with gold, absorbing what elements constructed his figure straight from him. Sweat trickled from his brow to his chin. Abject fears was in his eyes, robbing all color from his skin. She slowly raised her hand. Black and grey mist invisible to the naked eye stirred to her palm. The aligned palm hitched Roxas's breath. His mind screamed that it can't be ending like this.

"Now to end another fake." She declared a baritone voice. Roxas squeezed his eyes closed, braced for impact.

The gizmo shop vibrated under a loud _BOOM!_ Alirah and Roxas gaped shocked, routed by the sudden shaking. The booming moved in a trail from the rooftop to the side with the hole. Before she was able to turn, a large purple hand plucked Alirah right off the ground, sending her bouncing across the courtyard. Tightening her body in a roll, Alirah was able to push off and flip to a skidding halt. She growled at the interloper swinging off the shop. The heartless known as Guard Armor had returned.

"ARGH! YOU'RE STILL HERE?!" And here she was hoping Sora finally did away with that annoying tin can. If Darkside can produce multiples of itself, why not one of the second most annoying heartless leaders. "Hm!"

That kid Roxas regained his strength. He emerged from the wreckage, wobbling at the world spinning, gazing upon Guard Armor like a grace from heaven. He locked eyes with Alirah, and she met his. The rage she emitted. He shuddered as he was able to see darkness pouring out of her. Like a raging river free of boulders. He's not a coward, but he knows when he's outmatched. He swung his hand, tearing a dark portal open, and retreated inside.

"That's right! Run!" Alirah frothed at the mouth. She then lowered her voice. Terra, Aqua, and Ven vanishing knotted her stomach. "That's all any of you know how to do!" She shook off the weakness, addressing the stomping encroaching.

Guard armor towered above, driving a devastating punch. Alirah flipped back. The shockwave of the missing punch gusted her an extra foot away. She huffed regaining her balance, and raised Oblivion her opponent. ALIRAH!" Riku raced on scene with Soul Eater in hand. He ran up the back of the massive heartless, flipping off his head to Alirah's side. "Guard armor? Where did he come from?"

"Long story! Right now we need to finish him and get out of here fast!" That kid ran scared, but his comment on her name told her that won't be their last meeting. "The Organization could arrive at any second!"

 **To be continued.**


	7. Divide & Conquer

**Divide & Conquer**

 **Moving on**

 **xxx**

Demyx plopped to the lounge's couch and threw his head back, groaning loudly with his feet folded on the table. "MAN! Why do the higher ups keep picking me for these jobs?!" He sighed a mushroom cloud, boring holes into the metallic table. "A ten friggin' mile hike through some forest with guys shorter than my waist! What a punishment!" His whining made Luxord, across the way, smirk. He never looked up from his card game, but surreptitiously tossed down a Joker card in response. "You can at least comfort me and my sore leg, Lux! Why couldn't Xemnas send Xigbar?"

"Because Xigbar is visiting Wonderland on recon," He placed a guitar strumming wild card in his discard pile. He then smirked smugly to the distraught boy, "And you shattered half the windows of the castle with your _concert_. Why shouldn't you be made to do some labor?"

"What can I say? Music beacons my soul!" He poetically pressed fingers at his chest, giving an exaggerated flip of his hair.

Luxord deadpanned at his idiotic comment, card touching at its intended pile. "You don't have a soul."

"IT'S A FIGURE OF SPEECH!" Demyx hissed through gritted teeth, pouting with his chin in his hand. "And besides, punishing me for my music is like cutting up your cards into shapes for playing with them too much!"

Luxord cringed at the idea, almost dropping the deck in his hand. Demyx cackling like a mad man brought chills to his spine. The world able as he tormented his poor weeping cards with scissors. He cleared his throat, sputtering his flustered demeanor back to his deck. "Except my cards do not cause wanton collateral damage." Demyx felt that stab. "And I have absolute control of my cards, so there is no call for concern." That's two more stabs at Demyx. "Number cards like you are only good for filling gaps, causing minor meaningless damage in rare cycles." An entire barrage of arrows turned Demyx into a pin cushion. He was left with his essence fading away. And...a winged angel strumming the harp? Didn't think Nobodies had those.

Demyx crawled on all four, grasping at the gleaming Luxord's cloak. "Come on! Can't you show me mercy in my?!" He blubbered. "I'm already down for the count, man!" Luxord snickered under his breath, placing down another card. As the other Nobodies should very well know, Luxord has a sadistic side. Not as malicious as Saix, but enough to shake opponents.

A portal opening in the lounge disrupted Demyx's humorous begging. Roxas came fumbled out, shredded worse than a tattered cloth, throwing himself to his hands and knees. Luxord and Demyx gaped in dismay, rising partway to their feet. Roxas was fresh out of breath, dripping in cold, hard sweat. Abject terror froze his blue eyes wide open, shrinking them to mere, trembling dots. Every muscle in his body was twitching, buzzing as if there were thousands of killer bees stinging him.

"ROXAS! What happened?!" Luxord gasped, he and Demyx rushing to the petrified boy.

"Wh...wh-where's...Saix?!" His chest was pounding so hard. Each word was broken, huffed in shallow breaths. His shaking was so bad he almost curled into a ball. "Where's Saix?! I have to report to him!" He said again in a snarled rasp. Desperation hung in his voice.

"He's...out on a mission…" Nervous sweat beaded to Demyx's brow. Roxas is a well known Zombie, second only to Xion. Seeing him hysterical like this was enough to send Demyx reeling in his own mania. "Man. You look terrible. What the heck happened to you out there?"

What happened? Would they even believe him if he told them? "I saw her - no!" Roxas can still see it - feel it - fresh in his mind. The raw power that sent her flying like a feather, and pummeled like a sack itching to be decimated. His pitiful defense, not even worthy of a typical human, fending against the powers of a god. Or someone seemingly like a god. "I fought her...and she destroyed me!" His fingers curled.

"Wait, who did you fight?"Question marks blipped around his blank face.

"Speak slowly, collect your thoughts!" Luxord asked firmly. The boy's state was horrifying. Disheveled hair, ragged features, and his cloak was torn. The burns at his wrists left him stunned. Roxas was thrown into a meat grinder. _Don't tell me typical heartless did this to him._ "What exactly happened to you?

Roxas shot his head up. "ALIRAH!" Shock gripped the two older Nobodies. They shared confused stares, questioning whether or not they heard properly. Alirah is the name of one of their targets. _She did this?_ The two asked skeptically. Roxas isn't powerful, but he isn't weak. Something like this isn't possible. "That Alirah girl was in Traverse Town! She challenged me! She barely twitched and she...she…" ' _Pure darkness unleashed like the rabid dogs of Hell, swallowing him up in a whole._ ' "There's something...unreal about her! The way she looked at me…" Those eyes. It was those eyes. ' _Golden demonic orbs piercing to the very core of his body._ ' Eyes that know destruction, chaos, and death as if they were her oldest companions. "Xemnas said she'd be a handful, but he never said anything about THAT! She really does command the darkness as if it were hers!"

"Hey man, easy." Demyx forced a weak laugh. Luxord, however, was hanging on his every word. Were it he had a heart, it would be pounding. Adrenaline shooting through his veins, and making him debate which card he should play against this wild card. Or if he should put himself in check and wait for the game to play out. "Maybe you just got hit in the head too hard-"

Roxas shot to his feet, gripping his collar and shoving him to the sofa. Demyx trembled in fear of the craze huing Roxas's terrified stare. "IF THAT HEARTLESS HADN'T SHOWN UP, I'D BE FADING AWAY!" Demyx's eyes widened. The madness in her voice engraved in Roxas's mind. ' _ALL FAKES WILL DIE!_ ' The final words he would have heard had that Armored Heartless not appeared from thin air. The coils of a snake were wrapped to him, venom from her fangs turning his blood to dry ice. "I'm telling you! She's insane! Ruthless! JUST LIKE XEMNAS!"

It was difficult to listen to. Even harder to comprehend or believe. Someone as ruthless and insane as Xemnas? There's just no feasible way. Only Saix fits that role. Can there possibly be another? Surely Roxas is exaggerating. Then again, if he isn't, can they allow one of their targets to slip away? If she is still engaged in battle, she's distracted and in optimal position to be captured.

Luxord mulled it over for a good while, before coming to a decision. If reports stand true, this Alirah girl also travels with a companion named Riku. Usually when a game involves pairs, those pairs must remain together in order to have any sort of significance in the game. "We must investigate." He declared. Demyx gaped in fear of his life. Roxas, however, wasn't looking forward to the visit. "Do you recall where you last encountered her?"

"Uh...yeah…" Roxas bobbed his head anxiously.

 **xxx**

When Roxas returned with Luxord and Demyx to Traverse Town second district, he was stunned to find Alirah was no longer there. Adding to the shock, the enormous Heartless that intercepted their bout was gone as well. The second district was as silent as a grave.

"I...I don't believe it." Roxas scanned the for the damage done to the gizmo shop, there was no evidence of Alirah ever being there. Or that a battle had taken place. "She beat him that quickly." It's not possible!

"Was she really here?" Demyx scoffed incredulously. He wiggled a finger in his ear.

"YES!" Roxas pointed to the scorched wall. "She did that! And she wasn't even trying!" Luxord and Demyx gaped in awe of the damage. Traces of lingering darkness were flaking from the scorch marks spanning from the gaping hole. It wasn't devastating, and yet they couldn't look away. Chills gripped their skin.

Demyx walked closer to the hole, completely in awe. A good amount of wall was taken out, although much worse can be done by him if he had a mind to. But when he touched the flakes of darkness, he hissed at a searing burn. Jolts shot through his arm to his brain it hurt so badly. "Just who is it that Xemnas has us dealing with?" He cradled the hand, sucking on the fingers.

"And where is the other wild card?" Luxord inquired. Demyx and Roxas eyed him bewildered. He narrowed his eyes, holding up a card to the empty district. Appearances for him were as deceiving as a poker face. The face Traverse Town wore would have him and his cohorts believe there was only one fighter engaging the massive heartless. That the hand being played on the table has one trump card. But a closer study, and Luxord can weed out two that were in play. "The cards detect two." A flick of his fingers produced a second card. Both were blank, yet to be labeled for what their missing warriors truly are. "Two wilds were playing here. Both the boy and the girl."

"I didn't see anyone else when I left." Roxas admitted. He was in such a rush he didn't have time to look back.

"Do your cards sense them now?" Demyx asked.

"No. They do not. But that does not mean the game is over." Luxord sheathed the cards, opening a portal. "Let us return. Roxas, prepare to give your report upon Saix's return."

"Right…" He moaned. He wasn't thrilled with this day at all.

As the trio filed into the closing portal, a figure emerged from the rooftop. Sinister golden eyes, harsh by the X shaped scar running between them, locked onto the hole in the gizmo shop. A light scoff escaped sneering lips, spitting on the awe those three fools displayed towards a hole in the wall. If that is all it takes to unnerved those three, then they might as well lie down and join those who passed in The Castle. Roxas's ragged features were nothing short of embarrassing. In all likelihood he allowed his guard to slip. SHE is not that powerful. She's never been that powerful. She will never be more powerful than him.

The golden eyes gradually shifted for the third district. It was slight, but the presence of two were residing within a building. The sour lips split into a malicious smile. "There you are." He purred.

 **xxx**

Moisture clinging to humid dampened cavern walls dripped into a pool surrounding an abandoned hut. The misleading boulders forming a pathway swayed side to side in response to individuals crossing. They preferred to stop on their own. Just a little fun magic Merlin left for his own amusement. Merlin's old, run down hut was left in a rather less than glamorous state after he returned to Hollow Bastion - er, Radiant Garden. Not that it was much to look at from the start. Without his glamoring magic, the old shack was - well - a rundown, piece of wood making a shape. The empty space inside was as bleak as it was outside, but at least it served a purpose.

Riku and Alirah were fresh out of breath, covered head to toe in harsh sweat. The wall at Riku's back might as well be a personal massager. The cold stones made his sore muscles throb, creating a pleasant pulsing up and down his spine. Alirah was glued face down to the floor, sprawled out like a pelt. It wasn't comfortable, or comforting, but she wasn't moving for anything. Their arms and legs felt heavier than lead, but everything inside was reduced to gelatine. Whatever forces watching over them that had the cruel sense of humor, they were ready to get on their hands and knees if it meant they can rest for five minutes. 'Cause it looks like they aren't going back to the hotel...ever.

"MAN!" Riku choked on his own breath. He ran his wrist under his chin, basking in the air swirling through the small window. "That was a tough one! Can't believe we made it out of that fight alive!" He panted heavily.

The fight against Guard Armor was more vigorous than they anticipated it would be. Took longer too. The armored heartless came at them with all it had. The blows meeting their keyblades would have torn them in half had they not blocked in time. The large heartless was as slow as it's ever been, using its strength to compensate, but it was throwing its weight around enough to almost pummel Riku and Alirah into the ground. Had it turned into its Opposite form they would have been toast. Nevertheless, through a miracle, they won. It goes without saying, Riku and Alirah weren't anywhere near 100%. Together they were at maybe, at least, 40. This time it was enough. But next time...there might not be a next time. Since their arrival to Traverse Town, they've barely had two minutes to allow their bodies to properly recuperate. Alirah's current state was her own fault. Going on a rampage, giving in to her rage, unleashing energy she barely had out of emotion. Riku, on the other hand, siphoned from his waning strength to go all out against what should be classified as a D-Rank leader heartless. Suffice it to say, those two were out of shape.

"I'm glad...Merlin left...his old hut standing." Riku rasped between breaths. He breathed with relief. "We can duck in here for the time being."

"Forget the places we can _hide_!" Alirah snarled. That's exactly what it sounded like they were doing. "I can't believe Guard Armor appeared! I thought for sure he'd been destroyed indefinitely."

"Sora sealed the keyhole here, right?" Riku remembers the keyhole hiding in the fountain in the second district. Sora uncovered it after he and his friends defeated Guard Armor's opposite form. "Aren't the heartless technically supposed to be barred from entering here?"

"A lot of the old heartless are returning. In fact…" She stroked hair behind her ear, staring hard into a jet black space in the hut, "The darkness has grown disturbingly stronger." She placed a hand over her mouth and nose. "I can practically taste it wherever we walk."

"I sensed it too while we were in Castle Oblivion." Riku murmured ominously. "While we were humping around in there, Heartless have had free run." Suddenly he felt the weight his being a keyblade wielder placed on his shoulders. The role of guardian against the darkness was named his. "And with Sora and his keyblade locked away…"

"The Heartless are becoming bolder. And now these new characters are running around." Alirah hissed. Back at the castle, Yensid named her Master because she achieved what most in her position could not. She _mastered her darkness._ As Master it is her job to ensure the darkness does not have free run, and ensure peace between the worlds. So far she's failing miserably. "There has to be a way to put a cap on this."

"There might be." Riku tapped his chin pensively. Alirah was all ears. "Remember how you wanted to revisit the Princesses and apologize? What if we did more than that?" Alirah tilted her head perplexed. She only partially got the gist. "Every princess has the power to combat the darkness, but that power was drained while they were held prisoner."

"Maleficent bled them dry trying to open the final door. Wait!" The idea struck her like a bolt. "You want to restore their power! Give them a boost!" _How would Riku even know to propose this?_ He's a quick study, she'll give him that. But when did he have time to come up with something like this? Where did his confidence stem from to even consider asking? _Hm. I wonder, Terra, would you have been this clever?_

"Can we? Will our strength hurt them?" There's a note of naive hope in his voice. He realizes he's reaching, but it's not like it was a terrible plan. Right?

"No. Our powers aren't unlike another's." She uneasily replied, shaking her head. She folded her arms at her chest, biting on her thumbnail. Uncertainty brought a glow to her crimson orbs. "It's possible we can create an immunization effect to at least give them a means to repel the darkness. It would be similar to what prevented the light from swallowing us, just not as...intense." She means the darkness won't approach where they are, but it won't keep the heartless from attacking.

"That only sounds like duct tape on what needs cement to fix!" He snarled.

"Because it is." She lowered her head. There isn't much they can do. Not alone and not as they are. The only one who can chase the darkness away...is asleep in a pod. "Sora is the Key that will open the door to the light." She recited.

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know but…" It felt familiar on her lips. As if she's heard the words uttered before. They sounded like words from a fairy tale meant to ease the minds of children. Yet, in a way, she trusts them. She trusts in that boy. "Sora is the only one of us who can combat the darkness and cleanse the worlds. He'll chase the darkness away. Not us."

Riku can't explain why, but he had absolute faith in those word. They were familiar to him as well. _He is the one who will open the door to the light._ As if muttered to him in a dream. "I doubt Namine is finished with him though." His restoration is supposed to take about a year. Longer if things do not go as planned.

"We have to do what we can. We aren't innocent in any of this."

"I know…" He sank somberly. The worlds faced destruction because of them. Riku wanted to be strong. All he ever wanted was strength. To be relied on like how everyone relied on Sora. And in turn, he gave in to darkness and nearly wanted to obliterate his best friend. Alirah took out her pain on everyone, wanted them to suffer in retaliation for the pain she blamed them for. "Sora laid down the bases, we have to finish where he started." He stated with a icy fire in his cerulean eyes.

Alirah lit up like a torch, nodding with confidence. "Right! Let's-"

 _BUMP-BUMP!_ Her heart pulsated. From the blue, a paralyzing jolt shot down her spine. The shivers spreading through her veins made her skin crawl. Every muscle in her body tensed. Abject terror petrified to her face as she froze. The overwhelming sensation turning her insides to mush hitched her breath. _This feeling..._ Eyes. Hard, ruthless, cold, merciless eyes were trained onto them. But from where? And how? And...why does it...why do those eyes - eyes she's yet to see - feel so familiar?

"What's wrong?" Riku grasped her by the shoulders. He shook her lightly, bringing her back from her stupor. "Ali! Snap out of it! What's wrong?!"

"Someone's here!" Her voice shivered. She clamped shaky hands onto his arms, trying hard to fend off the overbearing presence. "Someone's watching us!"

Riku gasped, darting electrified daggers to the windows. He shoved Alirah to a corner, protectively stretching his arm in front of her, drawing Soul Eater. "Why can't I sense them?" He can't seem to sense anyone at the capacity Alirah can. He isn't able to pick up a scent either.

"Because this person is neither of darkness or light. And I know this one. It's a Nobody." She hummed grimly. ANd it isn't that boy Roxas. Riku gaped unnerved. A Nobody that she knows. _Another friend._ He's honestly excited to know who this one is. But he knew they'd never be able to take him or her in a fight. Alirah gripped his shoulders, rising to her feet. They can put it off for as long as they want, but the unyielding truth is Traverse Town is no longer safe for them. "Listen, there's no time for long winded goodbyes! You need to go! Now!"

"But-"

"Riku, I'm not arguing with you!" Oblivion erupted into her hand. "You have to get going before they come here!"

"I don't want to argue either!" He stopped her with a hand to her arm, holding her firmly in place. But you and I are in no shape for a fight! Especially alone!" He drew her in, angered that she was behaving like an idiot because an old friend was near by. "Why do you want to face this person alone?"

"Because I have to know that I haven't lost my spine!" She screeched with glossy eyes. Riku was caught off guard. He then saw her reach behind her back. She rifled in her pocket, showing him the charms belonging to Zexion, Vexen, and Lexaeus. "After these three...I have to make sure...that I won't falter." She held them close to her heart. "You were with me with Zexion and Lexaeus, but not Vexen. I have to know, when you aren't there…" Her voice began to break. Her body shaking as she fought to not cry, "That I can be strong and...and…"

"Shh…come here…" He whispered, wrapping her in a tender embrace. He ran a hand from the top of her head, down her soft blue locks, to the middle of her back. In fluid, soothing strokes he eased her strife. "It's going to be alright, Alirah. I understand." He understands, but he doesn't accept it. The burdens she's taken on, that she's sheltered her whole life on her own, he vowed to take it away. Instead, he's being asked to abandon her...for something much bigger. In his heart, nothing came before her. However, in the grand scheme of things, everything came before her. He doesn't like it, but this is where they must part ways one more time. "Find the Princesses, help them chase the darkness away, then we meet up again!" He declared, not leaving an inch of room for doubts or reservations. He cupped her by the cheeks, bringing her crimson orbs to meet his radiating cerulean. "I don't know where, and I don't know when, but I'll find you again!" He snared her lips in a deep, passionate kiss, tracing her mouth with his tongue before separating. "I promise!"

"I know you will!" She caressed his cheek. And with that, Riku clawed at his chest, drawing every ounce of darkness to his call, and tore open a portal. The strain of it paled to the pain of leaving her. But, without so much as looking back, Riku took the plunge, leaving Alirah alone in the hut and with the figure looming outside. "Right…" She took a deep breath through her nose, able to smell the darkness corroding to this person. She put all of her fears and doubts behind her. Grounding her grip to Oblivion, Alirah lifted her head and marched out of the hut.

The wayward stones ceased their trick, stopping on a dime as Alirah traversed their path. The cavern echoed under her boot steps, the lack of light making her eyes shimmer. She didn't twist to find the person watching her like a hawk, only minorly scanned her immediate surroundings. But she knew. In the farthest corner, there lurked her shadow. Another Nobody. Like that boy she met.

"That boy...he's with them." The boy who resembles Ven. "He's a Nobody just like Lea and the others. Which means...he has a human counterpart." She left the cavern, the third district shedding light on the name he had given her. "Roxas. That's what he goes by." If she remembers correctly, her past friends rearranged their names and added an X. So, if she rearranges Roxas, R-O-A-S is left, and she's left with… "SORA!" That makes sense. Sora was turned into a heartless, therefore the shell he left behind turned into a Nobody. But wait, if Roxas is Sora's Nobody...why does he look exactly like Ven? Then again, Alirah seemed to sense Ven's essence whenever Sora fought. As if she were fighting Ven himself. But that's not possible. Is it? Ven and Sora can't be the same person. Either way… "I really hate his face!" Gold flickered in her eyes, darkness pouring from her body.

Alirah stopped in the middle of the third district, gnawing at her thumb in perturbed thought. She has the strangest feeling she's putting out pheromones for these guys. Since the castle they've been running into her nonstop. Or she's running into them. She groaned miserably, pouting her lower lip. She can spin it however she wants, either way her luck sucks.

"Purely by accident, I ran into one of them. sounds about right." She laughed inwardly. "Even after Terra, Aqua, and Ven, those I surrounded myself with were always stumbling upon me." In trees, under bushes, in a closet, or somewhere in the farthest reaches of a world - Lea and the others found her. A game they inadvertently created. "No matter where I went you guys were always able to find me, weren't you?" She folded her arms under her chest, casting a devious smirk to the first district door. "And I'm so glad you haven't lost your touch...Isa!"

Stepping to the arch above the door, entering the neon lights of the third district, a cloaked member of The Organization entered on scene. Alirah narrowed her sights, peeling at the useless hood he was using to hide his face. He grasped at the edges of the hood, flipping it back. Alirah masked her surprise, hardening her glare. Spiked, long sky blue locks draped to his shoulders. Staggering golden orange eyes, and a jagged X scar in the middle of them. There's no mistaking it, in spite of that scar, it was Isa. Lea's closest friend.

For a long while, _Isa_ and Alirah stared in silent admiration of one another. Close to ten years have passed since they've last seen each other. They've both changed so much. For better and worse. Superficially, the pair can see an evolution. They've matured in ways they can't comprehend. The years haven't been kind to their spirits, though. The shells they wear belie what they have become within. Neither revealed what they concealed, but they can sense it as easily as they felt the passing breeze. The question remains is: who will make the first move.

"I see Lord Xemnas spoke true." Alirah flinched at the name. "You have returned." Saix extended a foot, stepping off the ledge. Alirah was stunned in awe as he slowly drift down, not making a single sound as he landed. Of everything she's seen, that's what impresses her. It was slight, but a shock wave struck her when he landed. Stoic, side lines Isa became a heavy hitter. When he returned his gaze to her, Alirah swallowed a massive lump. He was eyeing her like a scrap of meat. "You've grown up. Your pigtails are gone." He monotonously commented.

Alirah touched her head, massaging nostalgic tails. "I traded them for a snake. I'd introduce you, but I don't think he'll like you." Venom dripped with each word.

"How unfortunate. I was hoping to meet _the friend_ you always went on about." Alirah grunted heatedly. The laughs from nine years ago came to her ear. "I see you also received a new keyblade. Where did you get it?"

"A gift from a fellow necromancer."

Saix snorted at her blunt responses. She's enjoying herself while not letting it show. She has grown. "I must admit, I'm impressed you sensed me. I was certain I obscured myself." Alirah's awareness usually decreases whenever she's lost in thought or distracted. Guess more has changed than he thought. "You don't seem surprised by me. Aren't you going to ask what became of me?"

"The scar is new, but old friends transforming isn't." She shrugged her hands. "You were never stupid, Isa! I know you're aware I was in that Castle in the Realm of Darkness. Meaning you're aware I know what happened to you all." _Still sharp as a tack, I see._ It wasn't difficult to surprise her. Keeping secrets? Another matter entirely. "Though I can't say if you were watching."

"That's what our cohorts were for. Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" That was random.

"You've eliminated those weak treacherous fools!" The fanged bite of his words chewed up her insides. "Now our Organization can prosper, and move forward with our plans." _His voice...it's so cold._ Was his voice ever capable of being that soulless? _No. No it wasn't._ It was confirmed before, but now its set in stone. Those who become Nobodies - become nothing - cast their true selves aside, and become...this.

His eyes finally occupied her attention. _Gold?_ He had blue eyes. "Your eyes...what happened to them?" Now that she thinks about it, everyone's eyes were the same color. But not Isa. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I don't care what became of your eyes, or what happened to the rest of you." She declared. Regardless, she can't change what HE'S done.

"Oh no? And when did the Sister of Darkness became so cold?" He stifled a chortle.

"When Ienzo told me you all believed I attacked my brother!" That tale of crap he fed them. That she mercilessly attacked him, consumed by her darkness. It was enough to make her explode. Had she not listened to her senses, a battle would have broken out. And she'd be done for. "You haven't attacked me yet. I have to assume you aren't here to simply fight me."

"You always were clever." He mocked her. That haughty tone - Alirah inwards fumed, _THERE IT IS!_ "I am here because a subordinate of mine claimed you bested him with little effort." He turned his head toward the next district. "By the damage in that second district, I can only assumed you overwhelmed him with one of your temper tantrums." Alirah scrunched her face insulted. Mostly embarrassed that he was on the mark. Saix sighed disappointed, touching fingers to his forehead. "Not everything changes, I see."

"SHUT UP! WHO ASKED YOU?!" _SMUG, LITTLE BASTARD!_ Not everything's changed on his end either."Anyway, did that boy from earlier tell you I was here?"

"You mean Roxas. No. Roxas never had a chance to tell me anything. Actually, I followed him here."

"Followed him?"

"His recent performance left me questioning his abilities. His match against you, however, has demonstrated to me that not only is he incapable of defeating you, but he is also not ready to be out on his own."

Alirah scoffed with a cat like grin. "Still playing babysitter, I see." She masked a laugh behind her hand. "Not much has changed at all."

"I am also here as a warning!" He roared affronted by her childish demeanor. "Lord Xemnas has declared you and a boy by the name of Riku as enemies." If he's expecting her to be unnerved by that statement, he's late on the pick up. Diz already warned them they were going to be hunted. Perhaps _Isa_ should stop wasting her time and tell her something she doesn't know. "But there is clemency within his decree. He wishes for you to join our ranks. To become a Nobody." Alirah's widening orbs displayed the drain her mind was spilling down. Those words...were spoken to her before. In Castle Oblivion by Lea. However, before they were words of offer by...an old friend. This time...it was a warning of what was thought to be inevitable. "Lord Xemnas wishes for you to be at his side again. For you to be amongst allies and old friends that will help and support you."

"Help and support me how?" She challenged him, lowering her head to hide the radiating rage. "How can any of you help me now? After all this time, what can you possibly offer me?" She braved the gap, storming toward him with a balled fist, and dark energy swirling to her balde. "Can you bring back those who I have lost? Can you and the others change back into human? Can you reverse the hands of time and change what has come to pass?" She stopped a foot away from him, looking him dead in the eye and daring him to so much as contemplate lying to her. He chose stone silence. "I didn't think so. There's absolutely nothing you can do for me. And that being said, I'll tell you what I told Lea in the castle. There's no way in Hell I'd ever become a Nobody!"

 _She refers to him as Lea...and the other as Ienzo._ Saix inwardly snickered. _Foolish girl. Clinging to the past._ "I'd expect an obstinate response like that from you. I'd be disappointed if you acquiesced." He inched closer, towering over her with a smug smirk. "You realize, what you've said, I have accepted your words as a declaration of battle." He leaned in, casting a shadow over her. "Neither us nor the dusks will show you mercy. We will see you destroyed, and your power made ours one way or another." He narrowed his eyes, searching for that hesitation. "Do you still wish to stand against us?"

 _Do I wish to?_ No, she doesn't. She'd rather throw her blade down than fight them. A shame that isn't an option. "What do you go by?"

"Pardon?" Saix eased back, baffled by the odd question.

"What is the new name you go by? All you have one now, correct?"

"Yes." He responded with an arched brow. "I am known as Saix. Number seven in our organization."

"Then that is who you are to me from now on. So listen well!" She demanded. "Come at me with everything you have! You'll fade on the wind just like the others!"

"I see." Alirah will give Saix this much, he doesn't budge. Isa wasn't a pushover, but this is something new entirely. "So you would betray us! Betray your brother!"

"I haven't betrayed anyone! I was never loyal to your Organization! And I never will be!" The restraints weakened. Dark streams of electricity coiled her figure, her hair lapping in her flare power. She squeezed her eyes closed, her entire body shaking with rage. _Betray your brother...betray your brother...NEVER!_ "I don't know what that thing told you nine years ago, but…XEHANORT-IS-NOT-TERRA!" Her foot stomped. Cracks webbed in the marble. Pent up rage unleashed in a fury, her eyes swallowed by gold. The wind bent to the will of her encompassing darkness. An all consuming vortex trapped Alirah and Saix, slicing walls, flags, and the ground clean open.

"Her power...has become impressive." He muttered to himself. He does not admit so lightly. The area around him - gashes tore open the marble and stone as if they were flesh. His robe flapped in her immense power, the threads coming undone and rip slicing clean open head to toe. A thin graze opened in his cheek that he was impassive to. Alirah could very well tear him to tatters if she wanted. Not that he'd allow her to, but the possibility isn't beyond her. This outburst, now that he thinks about it, isn't wanton or chaotic. There's a note of control within her flare powers. Almost as if...she were missing on purpose? Saix's eyes spread in an unnerved realization. "What is this?" "Is she…? She is! She is holding back? But why?"

"Run back to your master, Saix!" Her commanding tone echoed across Traverse Town, shaking his bones to the marrow. "Tell him I'm right here waiting for him if he wants me! I'll finish what he started all those years back!" "And know this! I'll kill anyone who gets in my way! ANYONE!"

Saix chuckled at the idle threat. Her past actions in the castle were mere spurs of the moment. When it boils down to it, she doesn't possess the fortitude to end lives. Least of all of those she once held so dear. He will permit this posturing, allow her to flaunt the power she is so proud of. He will savor watching it turn to ash in her mouth, and be their at the vanguard as she is devoured the twilight. And besides, she on her last leg. She doesn't possess the stamina to challenge him.

"As you wish. I will relay your message." He bowed courteously, then turned on his heels to leave. Alirah swept a hand, dismissing the vortex. As tempting as it was to strike him down, she turned to head back inside of the cavern. "And one more thing, Alirah."

"Yes, wha-"

Saix snapped a hand to her neck. In a flash her back hit a wall. The splintering cracks sent white hot pain shooting up and down. Alirah was horrified by his speed. She didn't even see him move. It was just in one motion. _How powerful is he?_ Saix leaned in close, bringing his lips to her ear. "The next time we meet, I fully intend to pay you back for my new scar." He traced fingers to the scar on his cheek. He slowly released her neck, disappearing into a portal.

Alirah was alone. A suffocating silence engrossed her. Saix's hand was fresh on her skin. That large hand able to crush those fragile bones if he cared to. Who is she kidding? While she was grandstanding to hide how exhausted she was, blowing all that hot aired bluster everywhere, he was sizing her up. Saix was studying her, estimating his odds of laying her out flat. He never budged an inch at her outburst. He merely stood there, facing it as if it were a harmless breeze. And then, just when she thought she's scared him off, he demonstrates not even a percent of what power he's gained in the last nine years. He described her as a child throwing a temper tantrum. After this, Alirah began to wonder, how far out of her league are the rest of the Organization members? And can she and Riku protect Sora from them.

"Huh. Funny. I can't stop shaking." She laughed at herself. Not in fear. Oh no. She isn't scared at all. If anything, this is the first time in a long while she isn't scared of what tomorrow will bring. She was...excited. TREMBLING...with EXCITEMENT! "This trip...is going to be fun!" Her face split in a crazed, toothy grin.

 **To be continued.**

 **Not the best, but I'm tired.**


	8. Unexpected Visitors

**Unexpected Visitors**

 **Moving on. Okay, so, I am going to warn you guys now, there is more talking than actual action in these first large number of few chapters. 358/2 days is one of the spin-off's I haven't really played, so I am being driven around a little. Don't worry. I'll get to the good parts soon.**

 **xxx**

 **Day 68 of 358/2**

 **xxx**

 **(Mystery POV)**

Amazing...simply breathtaking. And I do not mean this world of refugees. No. I speak of the clash between titan and god that transpired just a mere five stories from where I watched. Perhaps titan and god is a bit of an exaggeration. But how else can I describe the standoff of Saix and beloved Alirah? Passionate rage, unbridled grief, unparalleled power suffused to the rampaging ribbons of darkness slicing into the third district. Harsh and unyielding, devastation in their wake, yet they brush and taunt my skin like soft feathers. Like the air, her power washes around me, filling me with this clarity, lifting my spirits - so to speak - in the wake of this fresh, new experience I have been denied for so many years. Several stories high am I admiring this display. How powerful she has become in what feels like an eternity, but has been a mere short nine years. The idea she was standing within my reach was intoxicating. Those piercing eyes full of dreams, her soft blue locks I relished running my fingers through, the warmth that emanates from her flowing into me. My arms embraced this sensation. Embraced her. Alirah channeling this awesome energy, but still maintaining limitations on her inner mancer. Not even a fraction of the power I KNOW she can draw upon. Suppresses to the fathomless depths of her being, leashed in iron chains and shackles from the top of its head to the tips of its toes. The beast trapped inside clawing to get out, gnawing at the bars with gnarled teeth. Madness beaming in its eyes like the rabid, starved animal it is. In spite of that, I must say, "That temper of yours is hot as ever."

 _Ha-Ha._ Forgive me. I cannot help the smile on my face. The foolishness I was forced to endure was rather entertaining in its own right. If not sheer idiocy. Roxas had no business challenging her. Though unavoidable given his _appearance_ aggravated the situation, he should have kept his keyblade sheathed. Never try to extinguish an already lit wick of dynamite with a larger flame. I must admit. The moment that blast pried Roxas's feet off the ground, I was trembling. He was plucked like a withering weed, sent crashing into a wall that was brought down onto him. And she barely had to lift a finger. Perhaps I invested effort into the wrong keyblade master.

Master! Oh yes. I must endeavor to congratulate you, Alirah. Becoming a Master is a great honor. A shame none of us, or Master Eraqus, were able to be in attendance. Master or no, subduing a meek boy is nothing for a master to boast of. Saix, well, he is in a league of his own. Precisely why I am not disappointed he did not capture you. No, no, I will not punish him for having you within his grasp and allowing you to slip away. I would not want this game to end so soon. I may not have been named master of a keyblade, but I am a master of patience. I will wait until the right moment. For when the power you unleashed against Roxas, which you marshalled to intimidate Saix, truly arises and is freed from its confines. The inner mancer I am aware you possess, that you let loose within Castle Oblivion, comes out to play. And it will. You can't resist the temptation of its thrall forever. And I intend to be present when those shackles to shatter. Already I've been privileged to witness the rust beginning to set, choking and corroding those gradually weakening links. Therefore I shall continue to watch, and I will be there to catch you as you plummet.

 **(End POV)**

 **xxx**

Whistling wind gusted the peaks of soft, sandy dunes. Miles of barren wasteland with nothing in sight but mountains fading over a horizon. Scorpions buried themselves in holes carved out of bedrock, escaping the harsh sun insulting its suffering heat to the billions of grains. Snakes hissed at birds encroaching on their water source, completely unawares of the rodents helping themselves. The snakes, birds, and rodents stiffened at the sounds of approaching footsteps. All retreated as sneaker stomped before them. The ominous figure pulling back the black hood of his cloak, allowing the dry breeze to gather up Riku's long silver hair.

"Finally!" He rasped. Riku approached the small trace of water, scooping it up into his unbearable dry mouth. He would weep with relief if he wasn't dried worse than a prune. He ran water over his face and neck, drying the sweat and creating a bit of coolness to his overheated skin. He placed a flat palm perpendicular to his brow, scanning the vast miles of desert all around him. Riku's intended destination was the city of Agrabah. Not its desert! An accepted oversight considering he's only been to the world once or twice. The second time being in a memory that literally dropped him in the city. The time before he had a little help arriving. Regardless, in his haste to escape Traverse Town, he inadvertently teleported himself to the Cave of Wonders. Thankfully at the entrance. The inside kind of collapsed last time he was there, left him wary of...mystical, tiger head caves. Oh well. It was the best he could hope for. "Guess my trajectory was a little off." Which was his understatement of the century.

Although, when he thinks about it in a bit more depth, Agrabah wasn't his _intended_ world. He actually just tore a portal open and jumped in, wanting to go anywhere that wasn't...Traverse Town. It was more of a last ditch thought to put some distance between him and the Nobodies that had tracked him and Alirah to Traverse Town. Alirah's terror towards the _friend_ that arrived lit a fire under his feet. A Nobody from her sordid past. She assured him it was best for them to retreat. That they didn't stand a chance against who had arrived. She's rarely wrong. But her line about making sure she hasn't lost her spine unnerved him. Not because he thinks she has, but because he was scared she's accepted the _inevitability_ with too great of open arms. The weird thing: Alirah said two were in Traverse Town. So why did he sense more? Five…? _Someone else was there._ He pressed a palm over his eyes. The sun was making him see spots. The moment couldn't have lasted longer than three seconds, though it engraved in him like a branding iron lined with spikes. When Riku used the Realm of Darkness to escape, a number of scents flooded his nose. One of them was dramatically more pronounced than the rest. And he was near where he and Alirah were hiding. Considering he hasn't sensed Alirah in any sort of danger, or a battle taking place, he has to assume she escaped without any real incident. Where she's gone now is his guess, leaving little chance of The Organization finding her.

Before their hasty departure, a plan was agreed upon that the Princesses of Heart would be in danger and needed their help to defend against the darkness. Because Maleficent drained them of their light powers, and with Sora, Donald, and Goofy recovering, the heartless have grown increasingly bold, and the darkness was encroaching on the Worlds hearts. Wonderland, Agrabah, Castle of Dream, Enchanted Dominion, Dwarf Woodlands, Beast's Castle, and Destiny Islands are ripe for the corrupting. He knew Alirah would head for the worlds Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora, leaving him with the others. The portal must have let him out at Agrabah because Jasmine came to mind. After all, she is the one he abducted. From...the cave. That explains a lot. No sense in complaining about it now. He was still too drained of dark power to open another portal. He started hoofing it to the city, praying that he doesn't die of heat exhaustion before he reaches the gates.

Riku hit a snag barely ten minutes into his walk. He's never been to and from the cave and Agrabah on foot before. He didn't have the slightest clue if it was North, South, or right underneath his feet. The trip in Castle Oblivion...was a blur. He can't quite place what he saw. "Damn. It's so hot…" He pulled his hood back on. His pale cheeks were burnt red as beets, dead skin already starting to peel. The beads of sweat drenching his brow stung with a vengeance. Wearing that damn Organization cloak was killing him faster. He doesn't get how these guys can stand wearing them 24/7. Protection against the darkness, fine. He can live with that. But, man, do they need AC in these things. The hood helping protect from the sun somewhat. But if he doesn't find shelter from the sun soon, he was going to roast. That'd be a hilarious bit of irony!

" _Will you shut up already!_ " Riku paused mid stride, whipping around with an arched brow. He swore he heard someone scream just now. He's pretty sure he came alone to this _desert paradise._ Maybe the heat was getting to him. He waited a minute, heard silence, and then began walking again.

" _DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY!_ " The first wave of ice in hours encased his spine. That wasn't a trick! He recognized that voice anywhere, and it was just over the dune ten feet away. Still he hoped he was wrong. Please let him be wrong.

The sand swallowed Riku's feet as he raced up the dune. He wrenched each one free, digging his hands in to expedite his climb. Hard rock scratched his gloves, sturdy bedrock forming underneath him. "I'll speak to you however I want you hasbeen!" Riku planted his elbows, coming to a ledge overlooking a dried up oasis. His jaw hit the ground in utter dismay. A flamboyantly colored parrot hopping around with half his body inside a sickeningly familiar black lamp.

"HOW DARE YOU, YOU WORTHLESS PARROT!" That's the voice raising an army of red flags in his head. _Jafar!_ Riku snarled in his mind. And wouldn't you know it, the worthless parrot was none other than Iago. Riku dropped his head, shaking it in aggravated disbelief. Of all the people he could come across, it's these two. Doesn't mean he has to stick around. He can pretend he never saw them. But then he might lose his only road map to Agrabah. Decisions, decisions.

Riku swung himself over, riding dirt and weeds into the dried up pond. "IAGO!"

Iago yelped in fright, falling on his side. He gasped at Riku like a ghost from Hell. He thought it was the heat playing tricks with his small bird mind. "Riku? That you?!"

Riku dusted the dried twigs off, frothing at the mouth at the irritating bird. Iago was convinced. No mirage can mimic that glare. "The one and only!" He side punted the bird right side up. "What are you doing here?!"

"Sun bathing and working on my summer bod. WHAT DO YA THINK I'M DOIN,' YA MUTT?!" He flipped out, molting ten years worth of feathers. He miraculously jumped and grabbed Riku by the collar, shaking him viciously, "I'M DYIN' OUT HERE!" Save for a few clumps here and there, a bald spot here and there. Other than that, he was the picture of health. For now. "And all I got for my troubles is sand in places I didn't know I had, and the unwanted baggage attached to my hip. LITERALLY!" He pounded at the black lamp.

"Spare me your MINDLESS prattling, Iago! ARE-WE-OUT-YET?!" Ever the patient one.

Riku's stomach churned at the voice. He never wanted to hear it again. Well, at least he can have a laugh at his contained expense. "Oh you're out, Jafar. And you're looking good in this light."

The would be sorcerer fell silent. "Riku?" If Iago and Riku could see his face, they imagined the twist in his beard falling limp.

"I gotta admit, you look different. Lose some weight? Lamp is a good look for you!" Iago smacked a fist to his shoulder, burying laughter into his chest.

"You traitorous brat! How dare you show your face around me!" Jafar frothed at the spout. Literally. There was heat coming from the spout.

"Traitor implies I was loyal to you morons in the first place." As all well know he was "And technically you're in there so…"

"PAH! I told Maleficent she should have terminated you and that wretch of a girl!" A red glow wanted around the lamp. The sand beneath was seared to a ring of glass. "You both are far more trouble than what you were worth!"

"Big talk for someone who got his butt handed to him by a kid!" He aggressively retorted. Sweeping a hand he shoved Iago back into the dirt. "And what can I say? Alirah and I couldn't stand you guys anymore. Sora worked out for us perfectly. Your arrogance made you perfect pins to be bowled over."

"Enough of your idiotic prattling! I demand you release me at once!" The glow pulsated with each word.

Riku held his stomach, clamping a hand to stifle his short. "Yes, because I am totally going to do just that! Enjoy the sun." He strode on by, picking any direction that would take him far away from both pet and the parrot.

"RIKU! WAIT! COME ON!" Iago abandoned his dignity, hopping like mad after the marching boy. He was running out of breath. "You don't bear any ills towards little ol' me, do ya?" He bat his long eyelashes, really milking his lack thereof innocence. Riku scoffed and rolled his eyes, increasing his pace. "Come on! Kid! I'm beggin' ya!" Iago leapt as high as his head, flapping like crazy for him to glance at him. He tripped on a rock, getting a face full of sand. He stretched a wing with one more plight, "Just spring me from the hip accessory and I'll owe ya one! Leaving you alone won't be it!"

Riku stomped to a halt, throwing his head back with a defeated sigh. He does need someone to tell him which way to Agrabah. And Iago is annoyingly tenacious. He'll crawl after Riku if he has to. "Ugh...fine!" Riku picked him up. He gave Iago and the lamp light tugs. They were glued together. Power magic, and Iago's thick waistline held them good. Riku took in a breath, the cerulean of his eyes went several shades darker. Iago's throat bounced, beads of sweat soaking his feathers. _Easy...control...and..._ The darkness coated to his arms, seeping to the lamp and Iago. The rim was curdling, prickling the feathers. Riku took a hand and a smack on the lamp shot Iago out like a cork. He was planted halfway into a pile of sand. "And the deed is done!" Riku dropped the lamp, dusting his hands of him and the bird.

Iago hooted exuberantly, throwing himself into flips and loops, cha-chaing on the very air. The imaginary maracas were kind of catchy."FREE-FREE-FREE! FREE AS THE BIRD I AM!" He laughed crazily.

"You can at least set me down GENTLY!" Jafar complained.

"You should be used to being brought down hard." He retorted smugly. Jafar growled rabidly, wishing for nothing more than to strangle that boy's porcelain neck with his own silver locks.

Riku's breath was knocked out of him, his arms spreading wide. Iago had thrown himself onto him, nuzzling his beak into his stomach. "KID! I COULD KISS YA!" He sobbed with joy, tailfeathers wagging.

"I have a girlfriend." Was his curt response.

Iago's sobbing got stuck in his throat. He broke away, ogling the boy suspiciously. Riku furrowed his brow, trying to seem indifferent. Iago's eyes widened in abject amazement. "Alirah? Really?" He practically shrieked. Riku turned his pink cheeks away. Iago snickered at him, slapping a knee. "Wow, what took you guys so long? I swear, I had a bet going' that you two would be eaten by the Heartless before you had your first kiss." The extenuating circumstances were none of his business. The comment on the first kiss deepened his blush. "Where is she anyway?"

"Doing her own thing!" He folded his arms.

Iago raised his wings, understanding not to ask further. "Alright. I get it. Congrats, kid." Though some deliciously salacious ideas were popping into his head. Riku scrunched his nose. Although, if he's being honest with himself, he hasn't a clue where Alirah's gone. But he can guess. _I hope that reunion is sunshine and rainbows._ "Anyway, thanks for the hand. Now for some unfinished _business_." He slyly remarked, rubbing his wings together. Riku brow arched as he wrapped his talons to the lamp handle. "Up ya go!" He chuckled menacingly.

"What are you doing?! RELEASE ME!" Jafar demanded. The lamp was bouncing around, shaking him around like pennies in a jar. Riku idly watched Iago take Jafar to the barren sand, flying over a dune. Curious of what the bird is planning, Riku tracked him to the dune, baffled by the old well literally smack dab in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if there's even any water in it. "DID YOU NOT HEAR ME, YOU WRETCHED BIRD?! RELEASE ME FROM THIS LAMP!"

"I've had it, Jafar! I hate to be dramatic, but its high time I fly the coop!" He tossed the lamp up. Jafar wailed as it flipped, landing clear in Iago's talons again. "I'm drawing the line before I wind up into parrot soup!"

"Meaning?!" Jafar snarled.

Iago grinned maniacally. "I'm cuttin' ya loose, pal. LOOK OUT BELOW!" Iago tossed him up once more, then mockingly guided the lamp for the abyssal well. Jafar screamed his name, curses of revenge frothing from the lamp spout. The well swallowed the lamp whole, and a splash of water silenced him. "Hopes all goes well down there! Time to look out for me!" And that is all the world should revolve around.

"You realize he's going to kill you for that." Riku forewarned ominously, casually leaning to the edge. Although a lesser part of him wished he could have thrown him down that well himself. Leaving him to be buried in the Cave of Wonders doesn't have that same tingle.

"Hey, no one can rub his lamp down there! This well's long forgotten about." He kicked sand inside, spitting on the forced genie below. He shook Riku's hand with both wings. "Thanks again, Kid. I knew I liked you."

"Look, just point me in the direction of Agrabah so I can distance myself from you!" He snatched his hand back. The bird makes his skin crawl with revulsion.

"What a coinkydink! I was just heading that way myself!" He perched to Riku's shoulder. He snaked a wing to the back of his head, turning it in a direction of interest. "It's due southwest thata way about 50 miles or so! Should be able to reach it on foot in a day or so. Perfect chance for you and I to-HEY!" Riku flicked him off. The pile of pebbles breaking his fall almost broke his back. Riku raised a hand, tearing a portal open. "Where ya goin'?! I thought we was pals now!" He was on his knees.

Riku whipped around, smashing an erect finger to his beak, "First of all: we are NOT pals! Second: there is no you and I! And third," Riku plucked him off ground and punted him like a ball into a cactus bush, "Try to drink water while you're out here!" He sarcastically saluted with two fingers and stepped through the portal.

"HEY!" The second the portal closed, Iago sank miserably in the sandy solitude. The reality hit him like a stampede of camels. He was abandoned in the middle of the desert by. "What a guy! Must have taken lessons from Hook and Oogie! Bastard!" He slammed a fist. Nothing he can do about it now. Agrabah, due southwest a day or two. He'd better start flapping.

Unbeknownst to the unwillingly parted desert groupies, a hooded figure was watching with a hawk's eye yards away from a tall hill. Lips parted in a toothy grin, sinister laughter reverberating in the back of his throat. Brimming emerald green eyes locked to where Riku vanished. "Well, well, if it isn't Alirah boy toy." Fingers pulled the hood back. The wind gathered up Axel's long, spiky red locks. He licked his sun dried lips. "Glad I decided to get a little sun before going back home."

 **xxx**

There was a chill at Alirah's back. This unnerving sense someone was talking about her. Riku then came to the forefront of her worries. This unshakable feeling he was in danger. She was certain he escaped before Isa caught wind of him. Alirah swallowed a lump lodged in her throat. Her eyes drifted front to back, half expecting someone to be standing right behind her. She's being paranoid, of course. She's in the right. She knew they would come. Diz and Yensid warned her as much. She didn't think it'd happen so soon.

"Man, oh man…" Her slipping sanity made her start laughing. These past nine to ten years are taking their toll. The weight only increasing because of her old friends. They found her. Lo and behold, as she knew it would eventually happen, The Organization found her and Riku. And with remarkable speed. Castle Oblivion was only a short week behind them, and already they tracked Riku and Alirah down to Traverse Town. Or, as hard as it might be for her to believe, her encounter in the second and third district may very well have been an accident. A chance encounter by beings capable of transporting themselves from one world to the next three worlds away. Not to mention, Traverse Town isn't listed as a tourist hotspot, but it is the first world those who have lost their homes arrive in handful to regain their bearings and muster the courage to begin anew. Worlds like Agrabah or Wonderland would be far out of their reach. Ordinary people can't pass the borders by normal means, or so much as traverse the spaceways without a ship. Or without tearing holes into the darkness within.

That being said, it is entirely possible meeting that boy - Roxas - was a freak accident. That, due to circumstances Alirah isn't even clear on, he was sent there to do a sweep for his club of cloak and daggers and happened to cross paths with her. Traverse Town isn't that big. Saix - Isa - arriving was an effect of that accident. In other words...Riku and Alirah are now in a - five of the members are dead - eight sided vice by pure bad luck. Riku escaped before Saix had a chance to come across him. Assess him as a viable threat or a nuisance. She would have warned Saix not to underestimate him, but that will ruin any surprise he'll bring to the table. He's the one wild card in this mess. If The Organization guns for him, he can send Hellfire right back at them in a flash. She doesn't doubt his abilities for a moment. But she would be lying...if she said she wasn't terrified of Saix, or Xemnas, or any of the _wrong_ members finding him. She sincerely doubts they will be as cordial.

"They won't find him!" She hissed to herself, bringing interlaced hands to her forehead. She pounded those hands to her head, hammering at the doubts, and chipping away the fear that's driving her to go find him. To save him. "They aren't going to find him! They can't find him! Not like how they found me!" Alirah's breath hitched in her throat. _How they found me._ An old memory surfaced from those words. She was stunned by the images of a mischievous young girl running amuck. The pure joy in her laughter as she tricked her closest friends, and when they caught her. It was so long ago, and yet it felt like yesterday. As fresh in her heart as the day it happened. "That's right…" She laughed at herself, burying her flushed face behind her balled hands. "You guys...were wizzes at finding me. No matter where I went."

 **xxx**

 _Cold stone was pressed to my back. I was crouched down low. My hands were parted a foot from one another, a translucent sphere of condensing energy pulsing in between. My eyes are holding themselves open on muscle will alone, but they were as blank as a canvas. My mind was adrift somewhere far, far away, gliding on a current to the farthest of brink. The red and gold of my eyes were flickering from one to the other. I know this because I can recall the flashing array of colors glaring in and out. The headache was terrible. But I ignored it. Like I ignored all other things I considered a distraction. Everything was drowned in a shroud. The glaring sun was numb to my baking skin. The blowing breeze was a mere whistle, but the light caresses weren't registered. Birds would soar maybe yards above me, or one of the feral cats stalked 20 feet away and I didn't hear or see them. Pretty sure a bug or two was crawling on me, but they didn't matter. To be honest, with what I was trying to do, none of it really mattered._

 _I was so close. Another few seconds and I would have seen HIM. Spoken to him, maybe. He was there. I could feel him bridging to the surface, coming to meet me instead of hiding within me. It always felt aside I was sitting in this wide spotlight, while he was dancing just outside the edges, manipulating the darkness so that I would not be able to make him out. Although he tended to favor letting his silver scale sides, or a beady eye meeting my frightened stare graced the light. I remember feeling scared and anxious, and yet excited and giddy all at once. My muscles were suffocating themselves, my nerves buzzing like bees having a party. He was there! The formless liquid shadow that's appeared at random so many times was real, and he was a snake. A HUGE SNAKE! I LOVE SNAKES!_

 _This snake has come forward at the most random of times. Each time he's helped me save someone, but then he would disappear. I'd hear him speaking to me every once in awhile, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to bring him back to talk to him. To thank him. Granted, I was six at the time. He often said I wasn't ready to wield his power. But he promised to rise when the moment deemed appropriate. That didn't mean, however, that I couldn't try to bring him up. I mean, not that I wanted to ruin my relationship with him - however one sided it might feel - or make him think I didn't trust him. I wanted to meet him. To thank him. But I needed time to marshal the forces, and privacy. The Great Maw far outside the town was the perfect place._

 _I sat on my knees, still as a statue, barely breathing. He was coming close with each round about. Slithering around me in a daunting circle, those piercing predatory eyes locked to me. He never spoke, just breathed heavily in slow menacing rhythms. Every now and again he was brush a part of himself on me. Only briefly so when I'd snap to see what touched me he'd be able to obscure himself in the shadows. Huffs of air would blow at my neck, the foul stench of his breath made my eyes water. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. That musty, humid breath spread behind me, a mouth of fangs and a forked tongue moved close to my ear. It took all my willpower not to giggle at the tongue tickling my ear._

" _You are brave to try and summon me, Little One." He purred in his baritone voice. Most would be terrified. But I've never felt so calm in my life. Safe. "I believe I warned you of your ineptitude."_

" _I…" There was a lump in my throat, "I wanted to thank you...for helping me and my friends."_

" _I see. You are welcome." He was moving away, preparing to leave._

" _UM!" I spun around, gasping in utter shock of the massive silver and gold cobra towering before me. The way his eyes trained to me, it was as if he would have been disappointed if I only saw a shadow. Heat rose to my cheek, and my tongue swelled. I cleared my throat, fidgeting with my hands. "I...don't suppose...what's your name?!" I blurted._

" _I am afraid you aren't ready to know that, My Dear. You are still too young." He told me. "But know that I will be there to help you when the time comes."_

 _I was afraid he'd say something like that. "Then...do you want to play?" He arched a brow at me. Yeah. He wasn't the playing type. Still, he was amazing. I cautiously approached him, extending my hand towards his stomach. He remained still, watching me attentively. My fingers were inches away. Then-_

" _JIGS UP, KIDDO!" The snake was blown away like dust, and I jolted out of my trance like it were a dream. Rampant breaths panted from my throat. My heart was pounding like a war drum. I had lost track of where I was, but became increasingly irritated when I heard the man's voice again. "Come on out, Kid! We know you're here!"_

" _DANG IT!" My small hands smashed to my dirt covered face. "How did they find me out here?" I'm hiding out all the way in the maw, miles outside the general city. IN A DITCH! I'm hiding in that gaping ditch surrounding that ominous tower the elders of Radiant Garden forbade children from going anywhere near. Precisely why I chose it. Figured it'd be the last place Merlin or anyone would come looking for me. Guess I thought wrong._

" _KID! Make this easy on yourself!" I paused for a moment and thought, 'Maybe it's someone else looking for another kid.' I scaled the jagged rocks I was crouched behind, poking half my head up. UGH! Surprise, Surprise, there were Braig, Aeleus, and Dilan - Radiant Garden and Ansem the Wise's finest guards. Sent to retrieve the poor little girl who disappeared from 'home.' PFFT! That hut wasn't my home! 'What are they doing here?!' I cursed. 'How did they find me so fast?' Placing my hand to my forehead like a visor, I winced up at sky. The sun was in the middle of the sky, making it noon. Wow, I've been out in the maw for...six hours?! Maybe not fast, but they've been looking._

 _My fingers clawed at my scalp. I shook my head in frustration, growling in the back of my throat. Five minutes is all I ask for and they coming running after two. What I have to do is important, and not exactly subtle in dynamics. Not to mention, my every effort is sabotaged by Merlin right at the start. Seriously. The man is like a jungle cat. He catches a whiff and he pounces. Hard! Come to think of it, he's the only one I can think of who would send someone looking for me. Ansem...he doesn't seem to tighten the leash unless one of his apprentices is about to upstage him. He does hate to be one upped by those he's taught. Must be a dominance thing. Even was like that._

" _No way am I going back to Merlin's yet!" I shuffled on my hands and knees, crawling through a space in the rocks I had used. The space didn't take me too far, just outside of the ditch at the end of the maw. And well out of sight from Dilan, Aeleus, or Braig. HA-HA! And that is how you outsmart three, muscle bound nimr-AAAHHH!_

" _FOUND YA!" Briag dangled me by the scruff, laughing mockingly. He LOVED to play on my vertical challenges. Dilan and Aeleus were leaning to boulders a few feet away, pretending to inspect their gloves for specks of dirt. I saw those smiles. "Time to get you back to the Ol' Coots."_

" _Aw man! Come on! Five more minutes! I almost had it!" I whined._

" _Had what?" Braig scoffed skeptically._

" _He-huh?" I went to show them my friend, and forgot that he totally disappeared when Braig practiced his yodeling. "Hey! Where did he...aww…"_

" _What's wrong, kid? OW!"_

 _He nearly dropped me when I punched him in the nose. "WHAT'S WRONG IS YOUR UGLY FACE SCARED HIM OFF!" I kicked his chin. He dropped me, only for Dilan to catch me. I hope Braig babies those bruises for a year._

" _What were you doing all the way out here anyway?" Dilan asked me tenderly, trying not to laugh at Braig's swelling nose. He was also holding me as I demanded he let me peel what little was left of his face. I need to make sure I thank Terra. Or...I wanted to make sure. "You know Merlin hates you coming out this far."_

 _My flailing hissed to a stop, and I suddenly remember I was in trouble. I bounced my fingers together, clamming up a little as to whether or not they would believe me. "I was...trying talk to a friend of mine. Trying to get him to come out." Me by my lonesome kind of killed my confidence. "I saw him...but I couldn't get him to tell me his name. And he didn't want to play with me either."_

" _And...where is this friend of yours?" Aeleus asked nervously. I pointed to her head. At the time I wasn't too aware of what it meant to have friends in your head. Dilan nodded comprehensively while hiding the apprehension my talking to imaginary friends._

" _LET TALK ABOUT HIM," Braig grabbed me again, shoving me onto his shoulders and holding me there, "While we get you back to Merlin's, huh!" He mumbled curses at his throbbing face. Alirah grunted angrily, folding arms to his head and pouting. That walk back to town was the longest of my life. I knew the moment I got back, Merlin would read me the riot act until I was 18._

" _I can walk on my own, you know!" I huffed angrily. I'm sick of everyone treating me like a little kid._

" _Yeah, I know." He cracked his nose into place. "I also know you pull these neat hat tricks and will disappear when we aren't looking." That brought a mischievous grin to my face. But I played innocent. They think the absolute worst of me. Braig needed both hands to scale the steep climb to the main road into town. I wrapped my arms and legs tight and enjoyed the ride. "Now what does this friend of yours look like? And why is he so darn important?" Dilan and Aeleus beat him to the top and lent him a hand. "And why did you come into the maw to see him?"_

" _He's a snake." I answered simply._

" _A snake?" Dilan's brow arched. That explained a bit for them. Everyone knows I love snakes._

" _Mm-hm…" I shaped him with my little hands. "He's really big. White...or Silver, and gold scales. Deep voice. Really nice. Kind of theatrical." I itched my scalp. He does favor drama._

" _And...you don't know his name?" Aeleus continued suspiciously. This was oddly intriguing to him._

" _He won't tell me!" I barked. Stingy snake. The trio braced a hand to a rocky wall, balancing to a narrow slope. I was oblivious to the climb, angry that my inner animal was being such a scrooge. "He says I'm too young and not ready to know." PFFT! Too young! I was going to be seven in a few months. "But he also said he'd be there to help when I needed it. Like with Pete, Terra, and other times."_

" _So...wait…" Braig had to stop as we entered old ruins. He sat me to a broken pillar, bending over to me, "This snake friend of yours lives inside you?" It hasn't missed their attention that there are reports of me bringing on this...weird energy that coils around people who bother me. I've avoided questions, but not inquisitive stares. So, instead of denying it, I just nodded. I pat my hand to my chest, stating that he lives inside of me. "And he doesn't bother you?" He gasped._

" _Not at all. In fact, he helps me sleep when I'm scared." Which is a lot lately. "He won't talk to me unless he knows we're alone."_

" _Wh-what do you guys talk about?" Dilan inched closer. That's where I sort of fell silent. My arms wrapped my knees to my chest. I put my mouth to my knees so they wouldn't make me say. I've gotten into a lot of trouble because of that snake. Not to mention, sometimes, when I think I'm alone, one or two of the guys have caught me talking to myself. I'd be dumb to think I could say we don't talk about anything. At the same time, with everything that was going on - and they weren't even aware of it - things could become dangerous for them if I didn't say._

" _A while ago...he's told me to be weary of the darkness posing as a friend." I mumbled sheepishly. My fingers gripped at my forearm, rubbing at it anxiously. Darkness posing as a friend. That warning came a while after my brush up with Pete. I didn't know what it meant, but I had a feeling as to who it was directed._

" _What? Is that a stab at me?" Braig laughed, puffing his chest with pride. He enjoys being referred to as a villain way too much._

" _No…" My voice rasped. This tightness in my chest was choking me. I buried my face behind my knees, obscuring the fearful hue in my eyes. Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus exchanged fretful glances, moving in close. "It means the old man will be coming soon."_

" _Old man?" Aeleus repeated uneasily._

" _Yeah…" Rage was swirling within me. A storm trapped inside a small as can be bottle, striking at the sides to escape. The glow of my golden eyes was bright enough to illuminate the night. In an inhumanely deep tone that even shook Aeleus, I said, "The one who took my friends away." And come Hell or high water, I would make that monster pay._

 **xxx**

Alirah would race to the farthest corners of Hollow...no...RADIANT Garden. Hide in the deepest caves of the maw. She'd sometimes climb to the very top of the castle. From Briag to Ienzo, Alirah was found every time after a few hours. She often accused them of putting a tracking chip in her. Or they went to Merlin and asked him to use a locator spell. She can't say it angered her when they did. She loved how they'd make a fuss over her. Come to the poor little damsel's rescue, and whisk her away back to the castle. Like a fairytale. Like she wished...Terra would have done. Before...everything. Either way, she can't assume they've lost their touch after almost ten years. Making it risky for she or him to be within a world of each other, let alone in each other's arms. For now, it'll be best to walk their separate paths while still moving as one like they have been. They uprooted Maleficent and her minions before they knew which direction they were falling. Granted Sora was an unwilling participant, but a majority of the success was them setting the Worldly Antagonists up like bowling pins. Speaking of Sora, Riku and Alirah are the only ones who know where he's being kept, and Namine's the one keeping him safe. So for their sake and his, staying apart is crucial.

"Namine…" Alirah growled in the back of her throat, throwing her head back, "PLEASE work faster!" She chose to stay behind in one of the memory chambers of Twilight Town in order to hide Sora away. The work to fix what she altered is going to be long, arduous, and will leave Sora in a vulnerable state. It's been made clear that both Sora and Alirah are vital to The Organization's plans. Namine and Riku...they may be considered moot. Superfluous to their operations. If they find him, Alirah will be next, and Namine and Riku will be in even greater danger. "Grr! Please hurry! Please!" She won't pretend to know the process in reconstructing memories. But time isn't on their side. If any of The Organization Members get a wild hair and go back to the castle, how long will it be before they stumble upon Namine and Sora? Maybe it would be best if they found her first.

Her back rested to a soft bush, a dark laugh reverberating her throat. For the best or for the worst, she wants The Organization to find her. More specifically the shadows of former friends she knows are worming about the twilight between the worlds. "I want you to find me!" She declared with a crazed grin. She pounded a fist into her palm. Whether or not they can hear her, she wants it shining like a beacon in the darkness they hide inside. "I dare you - all of you - to come and find me! Just so I can look you in the eye as you attack me! Also...so I can relive some of the best moments." She closed her eyes, able to see the seven she loves overshadowed by beings in cloaks. Those are the people she'll hold on to. The rest will fade into black. "And I thank you for not making me wait so long, Isa." She licked her dry lips, catching a salty tear on her tongue. She placed a hand to her aching heart. "Waiting is a worse feeling than that knife still embedded in my back."

"Perhaps this will ease it." Cold pressed to her cheek.

"YAH!" Alirah jumped 10 feet out of the bushes she was crouching behind. She landed in them, stuck by twigs and stunted pines. Baritone laughter scrunched her nose. The hand that touched her was coated in ice. "NOT FUNNY, OLD MAN! DAMMIT!"

On the contrary, Master Yensid found it delightfully entertaining. He hasn't been able to properly scare her since she was five. "Now, Now," He took her by the hand, hoisting her to her feet, "I thought you and I were past our hostilities." He teased.

"We were until you did that!" She fervently rubbed her cheek, burning away chill. The ice glove! His go to method for gaining Alirah's attention when she was a kid. The difference at the time was she wasn't able to draw a key from thin air. "I could have killed you, you know!" Poor choice of words wrenching her insides. Considering what she nearly did. Yensid arched a skeptical brow. He sincerely doubted her claim

Alirah wasn't able to stay mad for long. Seeing Yensid smile gave her that warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach she wasn't sure she liked. She pouted towards the fresh green grass to hide her blush. Then her gaze gradually shifted, glazing over the timeless island adrift in its own corner of the realms. A celestial place only a small few can find. The tall, winding tower a beacon in this plane. She was breathless in amazement. She hasn't been to this tower since she was four. The Mystery train pulling into the station, a four year old Alirah and her grandfather boarding, and that tower disappearing into the distance. Twelve years its been since she's walked on this grass, played on the miles of stairs. Her eyes were glossing thinking about the nights she spent on the roof. The stars, comets, and streams of night would start to move, intertwining in an ethereal dance. And Yensid would be at the reins of the orchestra leading their dance.

"How long have you known I was here?"

"I sensed a shift in the darkness and came to see what caused it."

"So you didn't know it was me? Yensid…" He folded his hands behind his back, towering in reprimand - and mild apprehension - of her use of his name. Alirah nibbled on her lower lip. She "Grandpa...what if I was an enemy?"

"I wasn't worried." He placed a hand at her cheek. "We haven't been enemies for quite some time." "You are a pleasant surprise. What brings you to me?"

Alirah blushed madly, "Can't a granddaughter visit her grandfather once in awhile?" Yensid lowered his head, chuckling adoringly. Alirah growled irritably. She hated this about him. Whenever there was an air of tension between them, Yensid went for the gun and pulled at Alirah's inability to hide her intentions from him. Be it to apologize - which she was working up to do - or ask him for a favor - which she was also vying to do. The awkward patch between them was a thick as cement. This is the first time in a long time they've been able to stand within ten feet of each other without breaking into a fight. Or Alirah wanting to kill him. "So…" She pursed her lips, turning her head away. Her blush deepened. "Um...how...how have you been? Are you eating properly?"

Yensid immersed himself in her equivocations. He'll allow it to proceed. He's wanted a chance to speak civilly with her for the better part of two years now. "I have been well. Thank you for your concern."

"EGH! I wasn't concerned! You just have a bad habit of letting your health go sour!"

"That is not concern? My mistake." He feigned innocence. He added with a wink, "I will have to thank you for your advice, then." _You manipulative, lang bearded fox!_ He knows what he's doing. He's able to see the ice she secured at her heart melting, and he was relentlessly chiseling away at it. Serves her right for coming to him. If it wasn't necessary… "Hmm. An interesting turn." Yensid looked around, expecting someone else to be present. "Why are Mickey and Hiano not with you? And Riku as well?"

Alirah's stomach tied itself into dozens of knots. The anvil swaying side to side on a thinning wire finally broke free, cracking on her head. "That's… actually why I'm here. Part of the reason...a little…" She growled, smashing fists to her face. Her tongue was tripping over itself.

Yenside's brow furrowed. Her eyes weren't meeting his. Darting shakily left to right, and often to the ground, anywhere to avoid looking at him. She's not being entirely honest with him. The true tell was picking at her nails. From the moment she was able to walk, Alirah's been cursed with a guilty conscience. Unable to keep secrets from him, and developed a twitch. "Alirah? What has happened?" He grimly asked. She curled into herself, shying away. Yensid placed his hands to her shoulders, drawing her in close. "Are you...in some sort of trouble?"

Alirah scoffed derisively. "That has to be the understatement in life!" She was about to continue when that chill returned. No one can possibly find this place unless they know about it. But, if there's one thing Alirah's learned these past few years, if someone wants something, the resources are endless. _Their eyes will be blind, but their ears will be open._ Diz's warning back at the castle. "Can we talk inside? I don't want ears hearing us." Yensid folded his hands behind his back, nodding comprehensively. The shadows are progressing in a manner he wasn't too comfortable with.

 **xxx**

Riku exited the portal onto a patch of rock, lavishing in the fresh smell of the pine trees lining sand and stone. He lurched forward planting hands on his knees to catch his breath. Oddly enough, he's starting to become accustomed to being exhausted. Large U-shaped wooden doors imbedded firmly to 20 feet thick stone walls stretching for miles in either direction greet him. The smell of cheaply sold accessories and varieties of food caught his nose. The hint of manure along with it. This was the gates into Agrabah. He made it. Riku never thought he'd be happy to smell animal excrement again. The rowdiness of the people on the other side was music to his ears. He actually made it. Next on his docket is to work on his aim.

" _ **Well isn't this a fine quandary you've landed in**_." Riku sprang ten feet away from the portal opening behind him. He grit his teeth, shifting into a defensive stance. A sickeningly familiar black cloak emerged, and a crimson haired Nobody smiled at him with fox green eyes. "Landing in the middle of the desert? Not your finest moment." He wagged a teasing finger.

"You again!" Riku swept his arm, summoning Souleater to his hand. He extended it, keeping the redhead at bay. "Axel, wasn't it?!" He snarled.

"Whoa, easy! I come in peace, Riku! It is _Riku_ , right?" Axel raised his hands in mock surrender. He wiggled his fingers tauntingly. That sly smirk told Riku that if he wanted a fight he would have one. "Good. We're off to a good start. I come with a message." He slowly lowered his hands.

"A message?" He scoffed. A member of the same Organization trying to kill him has a message. A surrender or die message, most likely. There isn't the slightest reason for Riku to trust him as far as he could coincidentally throw him. He paused momentarily recalling Axel is an old friend from Alirah's childhood. He tracked him down pretty fast. "Is it from Alirah?"

"No. Why? Come to think of it…" Axel murmured perturbed at the blank space. "Where is my old girlfriend?" Riku's face scrunched, darkness swirling to his blade. "Easy, kiddo! I saw firsthand how much she loves you. I lost all hope at the get go. Besides our love towards her was always platonic." _Our love._ He's talking about the others. Doesn't help his stomach in the slightest. "Back to my message. The Organization's Leader, Xemnas, has set his sights on recruiting Alirah. He doesn't care what happens to you...Namine...or anybody else." Riku's shoulders tensed at Namine's name. He isn't shocked he knew about her. He's scared of what will happened to her. The skepticism on his brow rankled Axel. The Nobody braved the gap, making sure to mind the sword aimed at him. "He wants the powers she holds, Riku! Those along with his own will allow him to do the impossible, and make illusions into reality! The power of the heart and soul will be his to manipulate at will!" He pleaded for Riku to hear what he's saying. He was allowed to back away as far as he liked, threaten him with his keyblade till he's blue in the face. Axel won't stop until he understands the situation they're in. "And he will destroy what's left of her in order to achieve his goals."

"Oh, really?!" Riku's back touched the trunk of a pine tree. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Axel purposefully stood at the tip of the sword, ignoring the pressure at the right of his chest. Riku hissed through gritted teeth at the hard place he was trapped in. If he wasn't Alirah's friend he would end him right now. "Is that all?!"

"Is that all?" Axel was punched with disbelief. Alirah picked a nonchalant one. Or a stupid one. "What? You're not going to fly into a panic? Demand I tell you where she's at?" Axel impishly took a finger and moved the grunting boy's sword off to the side. He smirked brazenly, strutting closer, "Or are you planning on racing to her aid once I leave and be her savior?" He laughed at the blush in his cheeks, placing a hand by his head. "What a cliche guy!"

Riku clamped a hand to Axel's mouth. He deadpanned at the filthy glove. "You said you've known Alirah since she was six, correct?" Axel muffled a response. Riku's brow bounced with an irate vein popped, "Then you know as well as I do that she hates being sheltered or coddled. That she's-"

Axel removed the hand by the wrist, " _Perfectly capable of protecting herself._ Yeah, yeah, I know." He's heard it a thousand times. There's a pain in his shins from every time he's forgotten. "What about you? You sure you can handle yourself on your own?" Axel respected Riku's need for space, placing his hands on his hips. Riku smoothed his cloak, dusting his closeness off. "Last I checked you've had to be saved a handful of times. I think you need a friend in these hard times." He hinted.

"What? Suddenly we're bonding buddies because we share a girl in common?" Axel shrugged his hands. Not like Riku has many other options that will grant him inside information. "My skin is blistering, and it isn't because of of the sun! I don't need friends like you!"

"Then we don't have to be! Just two guys with a girl in common we don't want to see hurt!" Axel snapped, losing patience with him. Alirah really missed the mark on brains in this one. Riku was pinned in that corner indefinitely. "What you want to be afterwards, well, that's a bit of philosophy I don't have the heart to get into." Riku scowled, raising a brow at the irony. "Oh yeah, you know that secret. Good, we're all on the same page! Which really does make you the only person I can count on!" The sorrow huing his eyes disturbed Riku. As much as he doesn't want to, he sympathized with Axel. And harder to accept still, he's the only one willing to come forward and give him a heads up. The hands resting to his shoulders startled him. "Riku...I'm asking you as one who cares for Alirah! No matter what it takes, do not allow Alirah to become one of us! If she starts slipping into the darkness, you drag her back out kicking and screaming! If you have to knock her ass out, you do it! PULL-HER-BY-THE-HAIR!"

"Why is this so important to you?!" Riku shoved his hands off, stomping around behind the fuming Axel, "You guys are the ones trying to drag her down! Why should I believe or do anything you say?!"

He struck the side of his fist to the trunk, whipping around in fury. "The girl I saw in that castle was a shell! Empty! Whatever light she thought she saw in this world is gone!" The Alirah he knows has changed forever. "Unless you were there, she would have fallen! The same is said for you with her!" Riku curled his lips in, unable to deny these counts. Axel wasn't going to humiliate himself by getting on his knees, but he'll beg for as long as he has to. Preferably before any one of his _friends_ figures out where he is. "Her heart is too bright to slip into this bog of darkness! I intend to keep it that way, and I know you'll do anything for her! Now swear to me you won't let her fall!" He demanded, jabbing a finger in his shoulder.

"I won't-"

"SWEAR TO ME!" He roared, shaking him violently. "Swear to me, here and now, you'll do anything to protect her from Xemnas!" Riku was taken aback. _He's serious._ "He turned us against her with lies and trickery, took away everything that made us who we are to sate his own personal goals!" And there a many more who have paid the price for Xemnas's desires. "Do not let the same thing happen to Alirah! If you fail…" Axel pressed the pike of his chakrams to his neck, "I will personally see you turned into a dusk!"

This is unexpected. Riku never dreamed a Nobody would show passion in regards to someone. The way Diz described them, and from what he has witnessed, these Nobodies are ruthless hunters. Numb to emotions, impassive to empathy, and completely void of what the heart ushers. Here and now, right in front of his eyes for a third time, another in that cloak is showing tenderness for a girl they know is lost to them. He underestimated the bond between Alirah and her old friends. All on the words of a stranger whose face he doesn't know under those bandages. "You have my word."

"Good." Axel slowly removed his hands, taking in deep breaths to pacify his swelling apprehension. His mind cleared of the thundering haze. _She's not like the traitors. He won't ever ask for her head. That's her advantage._ She'll be safe. She has to be. _She's the only one keeping us human now._ "Enjoy the city. And try not to get lost again." Axel casually entered a portal that opened personally for him, and he left Riku breathless.

"Alirah...what the Hell have we stepped into?"

 **To be continued**


	9. Nine Years of Holes

**Nine Years of Holes**

 **Moving on.**

 **xxx**

Roundish black boots clopped to Traverse Town's brick laden First District. The ends of a long black cloak brushed the stone, hands sitting inside the pocket while shoulders hugged the obscuring hood in place. Though the figure tried to maintain an air of mystery as he meandered casually, his mousey nose and round ears weren't very inconspicuous. While it may fool those who walk between the light and the dark, blinding them to his presence, ordinary people one edge from their worlds vanishing weren't ignorant of _Mickey's_ strange appearance. He pretended not to notice their sideways glances or their exaggerated sidesteps, too focused on spotting Riku and Alirah amongst the world of refugees.

A short glance was enough to tell him they were not in the immediate area, but they are somewhere within this world. The door at The Villains Villa on Hollow Bastion is a direct link to Traverse Town. Given that Riku and Alirah are in poor shape from their arduous battles and the walk through the plains, rest will be vital. Therefore they have to still be here. Somewhere. He hopes.

"Hmm…" Mickey's eyes moved to the corner, glancing to his shaking hood. Hiano slithered from behind his neck, poking his head half an inch from the stuffy hood. The fresh air was a blessing. His nostrils flaring and closing, The night breeze

"Hiano?"

"They were here…" Riku and Alirah were here possibly moments ago. To have missed them by that margin, Mickey and Hiano surmised they can't have gone far, least of all in their condition. "And I sense someone else." He said ominously. His brow furrowed. "They carry the presence of those Nobodies."

"Where are they?!" Mickey shifted to a defensive stance, stretching his hand to summon his keyblade.

"Calm yourself. They've left, but their presence has marred this place. Hm?" He paused.

"What's wrong?"

"Something...doesn't smell right." Mickey cocked a baffled brow. Hiano flared his nostrils, a familiar aroma of tainted flames slithered inside. He hummed under his breath, trailing his eyes towards the sky. "There!" It was faint, but he was able to makeout smoke stacking to the sky from the second district. "HURRY!" Hiano and Mickey raced for the second district, sending a passing woman into a spin.

Mickey rammed his shoulder into the large door, stampeding his way into the second district. Hiano slipped between his legs, wrapping his body to the stone railing. He turned to stone, stricken in abject shock and awe. Mickey joined him at the railing and was gripped by the same astonishment. A gaping hole tore into the marble walling of the gizmo shop, jet black scorch marks bleeding from the edges. "What...how...who could have done this?" Mickey stammered, his knees quaking.

"It must have been Alirah." Hiano stated, chuckling disturbed at the scene. He recognizes her brand of destruction anywhere. "She always has to go overboard!" Firsts she ditches him, then she destroys private property, and then she has the nerve to elude him again knowing what he'd say. "That girl...she's going to be the death of me!" Veins popped in his head.

"That's Alirah alright…" Mickey laughed nervously, itching his cheek as he inched away from the fuming serpent. "But didn't you say you sensed someone close to resembling a Nobody."

"Not close! There was a Nobody-no!" Hiano cast his senses as a wide net, quieting his mind and soul and allowing the eternal night of Traverse Town to take him to the areas marred by the Twilight and Darkness staining this world. And he found it. At least remnants of it. "One...two...THREE! There were three Nobodies here! Possibly more! All of them drawn like moths to fire to this one world."

"Because of Riku and Alirah…" Mickey hummed troubled. He touched his chin, studying the damage wrought by Alirah. "And one of them drove Alirah to do this."

"Precisely…" Hiano moaned. "Either way, as I am disappointed to report, Riku and Alirah have departed from this place. Equal in relief is that the Nobodies have as well."

Mickey took solace in that statement with a grain of salt. As he well knows, Alirah and Riku are masters at masking their trail. Once they choose to vanish, they will not allow themselves to be found unless they want to be. "For now that means they're safe, and haven't been found by The Organization yet. But we still have to find them!" Riku and Alirah may never admit it, but they need Mickey and Hiano. They need their friends. Now more than ever.

"And we will." Hiano promised him. Mickey turned away from the damage, trying to staving off an unease that Alirah may be losing control again. It would make him fear the same of Riku as well. Hiano, on the other hand, remained transfixed by the scorched hole. He let his mind drift with the jagged edged, piece off and plummeted with the crumbling debris. His forked tongue flickered on the air. A familiar tastes touched it, bringing on nostalgic chills to his scales. From the moment they entered Traverse Town he's sensed them. The taste of two souls that are reminiscent familiar. Enough to...make Hiano's chest tear itself into ribbons. He knows these scents. He became very familiar with them...many years ago. _Ventus? Terra?_ Is it possible? Were those two here? _How can that be?_ Perhaps the _Terra_ he's detecting is...the one who LOOKS like Terra. But Ventus…Sora suddenly comes to mind. ' _You're so much like Ven it makes me sick!_ ' She said that to Sora during their battle at the Hollow Bastion Castle. It can't be Sora. He's hidden away at Castle Oblivion. So why does he sense Ven...and Sora...here on this world?

"If they aren't here, guess there's no point in looking around for 'em." Mickey decreed, meandering to Hiano. He lifted him back into his hood. "I wonder where they would have gone."

"The pair expressed a desire to return to the worlds of the Seven Princesses and others in order to reconcile for the grievous harm they've exacted."

"Then they could literally have gone anywhere!" Mickey flourished a hand, clamping it over his eyes. He doesn't mean to sound pessimistic, but Riku and Alirah have caused centuries of damage. "Where do we begin?"

A very good question which Hiano believes he has the answer to. "In their letter, they said the darkness was still bothering them." Hiano reminded him. "For someone like Riku, he'll set out wherever he can to come to grips with his affliction." Mickey bobbed his head. His choice of method isn't sensible to anyone other than him and those who know him. Meaning unless Sora wakes up, they won't know square one from square 31 to begin looking for him. "But Alirah, who was just named Master, would take a more rational approach before setting out. That's how Aqua taught her." Mickey's chest tensed at her name. "She's gone to see Yensid."

"Are you sure?" Mickey gasped.

"Positive." Hiano gazed up to the stars. "Where else would a confused Master go?"

 **xxx**

Alirah paused on the winding flight of tower stair, twisting around as if expected to see someone. She had a strange feeling someone was talking about her. Or she's become paranoid. She shrugged it off, chasing after Yensid. As Yensid escorted her to his office, Donald and Goofy ran rampant in Alirah's thoughts. Must be because her hand reached into her pocket for her wayfinder to find an empty pocket. She would swear she had it in the castle. Or it could have been another trick orchestrated by The Nobodies running the place. Either way, she let her mind drift to their final battle with Ansem. Before Alirah slipped to the other side of the door to help Riku and Mickey close it forever, Sora's pleas to Riku and Alirah, " _What if we can't find you?!_ " To which Alirah replied, " _As long as you guys don't forget about us, we'll meet again._ " She promised they would be reunited. It was the first time in years she'd given her word to someone she had loathed, and the first time she felt dedicated to keep it. Because...Donald...Donald's grim expression made her chest tighten. Big, glossy, pleading eyes fearing that he would never see her again. That another terrible incident would pry them apart, and take her worlds out of their reach after just getting her back. His words to her, " _How do you know?_ " The doubt in his voice curdled her stomach. He wanted to cry, beg her until his voice broke for her to not leave. In order to diminish his doubts, she took off her Wayfinder that Aqua made for her and told Donald, " _How else will I get that back from you?_ " Donald still has it. He was clutching it in his hand in his pod back at Castle Oblivion. _You kept it this whole time, Donald. Thank you._ She can't wait for them to wake up. Maybe then...they can work on making up for lost time.

"They are not with you." Alirah blinked, coming out of her thoughts. Yensid was half turned to her, hands folded behind his back. "Riku, Hiano, and Mickey - you've come here alone."

"Riku's elsewhere." She will leave it at that. Yensid nodded in understanding, choosing not to press her. Not that she doubts her grandfather, but the appearance of Isa - Saix - has made her slightly paranoid of how sensitive their ears truly are. His arrival after that boy was too perfect. And that presence…the one similar to Terra...was too close. XEMNAS was too close. She can't shake the feeling he'll only try to get closer. "As for Hiano and Mickey…" She lowered her head in shame, "They can't come with us on this one, Grandpa. Not while the things are the way they are."

"I sense it." Yensid stated, opening the door to his office. As Alirah entered his office, she meandered with a passing look of confusion on her face. "The darkness within you and Riku is crippling. Brewing inside your hearts, manifesting shadows you thought long passed."

Alirah gasped, eyes rippling in shock. When Yensid closed the door, everything outside that room was deafened. Words to question what he meant were already anticipated, as Yensid arched a brow at her. She exhaled through her nostrils, a mild berating smile darkened her face. "I shouldn't be surprised you know that. Yet I am." That very shadow tormenting her materialized in its translucent form, mockingly smirking with the face of Xehanort at having been _discovered._

" _How perceptive your grandfather is._ " The shadow brought his or her lips to Alirah's ear, savoring her reluctance to shudder at his closeness. " _I feared his old age had diminished his abilities._ " Alirah sneered her lip, shaking as she resisted punching the phantom.

Yensid's brow knit, narrowing his sights to her grudging demeanor. "So they HAVE taken a shape." Yensid cannot see it, but the darkness plaguing Alirah is indeed tormenting her.

"Yes…" Alirah fanned a hand, chasing her unwanted guest away. "Ansem's grip is as firm as ever on Riku's heart. The trauma he's endured, and the imprint of that man are powerful. I shouldn't be too surprised that he wasn't so easily shaken." If it were that easy, Xehanort would have faded entirely - no Nobody, no Heartless, no nothing - after the final door, Kingdom Hearts, was sealed. "As for me…" She pondered on the shape her inner mancer has chosen to take, and felt her failure curdle her insides, "The shadow of Xehanort is mounting, casting itself over me. No matter what I do, I can never escape him." It's as if she's doomed to be swallowed by him. To further prove her fears, the Xehanort shape mancer wrapped his or her arms around her, chuckling in her ear. "Get off me!" Alirah jerked it off. It mockingly raised its hands in surrender, then faded ominous into nothing. Yensid sighed solemnly, none surprised in the least that this is the case. "How is it you aren't remotely shocked I'm here with this to you?!"

"The stars reveal a great deal during my meditation. You and Riku, though accepting the dark powers within you, are still hindered by a resistance. A concern it will corrupt you, and blacken your minds to madness. A common apprehension." Alirah's eyes shifted in shame to the floor. She gripped at her arm, suddenly feeling exposed by him. Those eyes of his have always seen a great deal more than hers. "But it is one that must not be allowed to fester. Lest your hearts be cast in the abyss they warred and ravaged to escape."

"When you say that, it makes me hesitate about the reason I came here." She rasped. "But before that, tell me why you named me a master? What have I done to deserve it?" If he's sensed this war within her, why would he name her master? If Eraqus were here, he'd give the title to Riku without hesitating.

"It is as I told you in Castle Oblivion. You braved the darkness within you, earning you the Mark of Mastery."

"I didn't brave anything. It's still there." She slapped her chest.

"And it always will be." That is the horrifying truth, and it is etched in stone beyond hers or anyone else's reach. "You are a necromancer. Darkness is a vital part of you, like the blood in your veins. Pumping life into you, fueling you, and granting you the strength and power you will need now more than ever in order to survive!" The urgency in his tone skipped her heart. Yensid moseyed around her, seating himself at his desk. He interlaced his fingers, groaning perturbed. "Darkness is your strength, your strength is in darkness. This is not something that will ever fade." If he's trying to cheer her up, he's in dire need of bedside manner classes. "As the darkness grew rampant and wild, struck viciously in an attempt to swallow you whole, you've subconsciously fought against it your entirely life, and tamed it to bend to your will. But that is not the darkness in which I determined you ready for the rank of Master."

"I didn't realize I had more than one brand of darkness!" She sarcastically replied to repel her desire to punch him. "In Castle Oblivion, the darkness you braved is the darkness of your past. A past you constantly ran from because of what - who - lurked within it." Xehanort. Everywhere she turned, Xehanort was there. And she made it her mission to avoid him at all costs. "Illusion or reality, you cared not. You confessed to your sins, and it was there you swore to repent. In that moment, I knew you were worthy to bear the mark of master."

Alirah snorted under her breath, smirking derisively. "Ironically, the past is what has brought me here." Yensid arched a brow. He steeled himself as her demeanor became uncharacteristically serious. She approached his desk, planting her palms to his desk and leaning in with an intense leer. "What happened nine years ago?"

Perhaps Yensid is slipping in his old age. He physically reacted to the random question, flexing muscles to keep himself grounded. "What do you mean?"

Alirah can almost write a script for Yensid to show she knows what he was going to say. "Eraqus's Keyblade was ashamed of him. Terra was possessed by Xehanort. Aqua's armor was abandoned. Ven, for all I know, vanished into thin air!" And that's basically half of it. The rest is what fell into place AFTER they vanished. "These are mysteries that have stalked me, woken me up, and haunted me for the last near decade. I know you know what happened! I know Donald, Goofy, and Mickey know what happened!" She clamped a hand onto his wrist, preventing him from trying to shift away from her. "Everyone around me seems to know this story but are going to great lengths to hide it from me!"

"If what you claim is true, what evidence fuels your certainty?" He shook his wrist free, daring her to proceed.

"Aqua, Terra, and Ven - I can still remember the first time I said their names arriving at Disney Castle!" Her golden eyes or red eyes, it's almost impossible for honest people to hide anything from her. Might explain why Maleficent and the others were relatively difficult to read. "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy weren't shocked in the least that I knew them! In fact, they never ONCE asked who they were! Telling me they've met them before!"

"Mickey told you as much that he met those three."

"Yes, but Donald and Goofy were a bit of a surprise." She'd catch them whispering their names every now and again, wondering if they were alright or not.

"What else?"

"Eraqus's keyblade." The main occurrence that he sent her on this reeling path. "In Neverland, I told you that it was ashamed, and that it showed me Eraqus had fallen. You asked if I knew who killed Eraqus, instead of what it was ashamed of." Yensid's shoulder's went rigid, his eyes darting to the side. That little slip made him inwardly cursed himself. How did he not catch it before now. "That told me that you kept up to date with what was happening, but that some of it was beyond your sight." He smirked with a sense of pride. Alirah's always been perceptive, but this is an all new level of clever if she's exposing him. "Quid Pro Quo - give and take. I answer your questions if you answer mine."

"One of the first lessons I taught you so you'd refrain from lying to me." How ironic that it is his own lies shackling him. "Very well. Divulge and ask. I shall tell you all I know. However," He erected a finger before she even took a breath, "While I am aware of what transpired, there is nothing I could have done to prevent them."

"I understand." She doesn't like it, but she understands.

 **xxx**

Atop the highest tower of the porcelain castle, nestled directly beneath the heart shaped moon stuck permanently to the empty night sky, Xemnas's voided gaze drifted to the vacant streets of his nonexistent world. His mind wandered those roads, taking him past the blinding lights scaling the sky touching towers. The hollow echoes of disembodied moans carried on the empty winds. The rain which constantly splashed to pavement evaporating on the spot, departing to a plane beyond his own. That rain never reached the castle, but the nostalgic pitter patter of liquid was enough to sooth his rampant being. A dampened smile ghosted to his tan lips as foolish desires from his previous life flooded him. So many lights within this world, so many buildings and roads. Anywhere else, would be alive with the bustle of men, women, and children. Only here within this Twilight Plane are phantom whispers tickling his ear. Within those whispers...a little girl's voice reaches him.

"She's grown beautifully, hasn't she?" He addressed the grudgingly silent Saix standing behind him. He refused to reply. "Not just in power, but in her person as well." Xemnas closed his eyes, able to clearly see the little six year girl. A deep inhale aged that little girl into the young woman whom he saw in Traverse Town. Her unsure, timid, and meek features maturing into the force of nature laying waste to Traverse Town third district. "The power I sensed from her in Castle Oblivion, and which she used to stand firm against you…" He purred, further irritating his second in command, "I can only imagine the true might she has come to possess."

"According to Roxas, she unleashed that mysterious might upon him during their bout. She rooted him in mere seconds." An insult directed at Roxas. Being defeated in seconds by such a flimsy attack such as that. And worse, he and those two imbeciles being impressed by wanton destruction. Disgraceful! "She is as untamed and wild as she's ever been. Drawing on unnecessary powers due to her flaring emotions."

"Which is precisely what makes her the number one candidate to be made into one of us." Xemnas turned to him, acknowledging the irritated bewilderment plastered to his scarred features. "What she lacks in absolute control, her destructive capabilities make her a force to be reckoned with. Someone like that within our ranks-"

"Did we not wish to see Larxene eliminated because of that very reason?!" Saix wasn't shy in reminding him.

"But Alirah is far more methodical than Larxene, and dramatically more powerful." Xemnas approached him, that smile never leaving his face. "Furthermore, having someone who can root out the souls of the strong hearted with expedite our plans and bring our goal that much closer."

"Is that not why we employ Roxas and Xion? In spite of their ineptitude."

Xemnas chuckled menacingly. "You truly are desperate to keep her from me, aren't you? Why?" He inched closer. Saix wouldn't flinch from him. "Do you fear for her? Does that piece of you still care for the small child whom you adored?"

Saix's stone faced chipped, his fists balling. "My desire to keep her from you is in your interest, as well as the Organization's!" He snarled. "This girl will be nothing but a detriment to our ranks! Our past histories with her should be the utmost proof!"

"Should they?" He crooned. "Or are they evidence that she is by far the greatest asset we could hope to obtain?" Saix growled in the back of his throat. Xemnas was completely ignoring his every sound word of advice. How can he possibly think a girl as dishonest and disloyal as her will be an asset? Has he completely forgotten that she tried to kill him? HER OWN BROTHER! Because Saix certainly hasn't. And had she not vanished that night, he and the others most certainly would have fallen to her wrath.

 **xxx**

Alirah seated herself atop Yensid's desk, arms and legs crossed as she and Yensid sat in silence. Yensid was leaned back in his chair, hands folded in his lap. He attempted to plot how best to clarify past events, rationalize their plots from his restrained point of view, but found there is no true means to make light of these years. "Where do I begin…?" He rumbled. Alirah closed her eyes, exhaling from her nostrils. She wants the beginning, and to move on from there. "Three warriors were chosen wielders of the keyblade brought to Master Eraqus, Master Xehanort, and myself - who soon dismissed myself - for training in defending the worlds from darkness, and maintaining peace." As is the duty of all Keyblade Wielders. "Ventus, an impetuous boy longing for adventure. Terra, a young man tormented by his dark powers seeking acceptance. Aqua, a young and wise woman who used intellect and heart to conquer her obstacles." Them down to the last hair follicle. "A rift began to form in these three when Aqua was named Master and not Terra, due to she being the farthest from the darkness. And soon, Ventus was afflicted by the rift."

"I'll never forget that day." Alirah clenched her fingers at her throbbing chest. "Terra was so heartbroken by what Eraqus said…" ' _Terra, you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check. There is always next time._ ' He dismissed Terra so easily...and that next time would never come. "I never wanted to tear the Master apart more ravenously than I did then. And Terra wanted to prove him wrong more than anything. That's where Xehanort came in."

"Under the temptation of Xehanort, Terra left his home - with you in tow - to prove the darkness holds no power over him. Ventus, swayed by the rouse of another and fearing Terra would never return, chased after his friend. Soon, Aqua was asked to bring Ventus back, and inadvertently set out on a journey to bring ALL of her friends home." Aqua met up with Terra and Alirah, wanting to know where Ven was and pleading to bring Alirah home. Neither of which she succeeded in. "As you well know, their journeys were long and arduous, riddled with trials and bombarded with dangers that would have crippled lesser people. Through these journeys they learned about each other and themselves, and grew stronger as a result. Tapping into potential they never dreamed possible." That they did. Alirah thinks Ven may have grown taller as a result. "As their journey continued, the rift that was already present started to tear wider, viciously marring their bond."

"It was when all of us were in Hol-GRR-Radiant Gardens...at the same time. Although...I was asleep for most of the time." She can still feel it when she thought back to it. "I was rendered unconscious by Xehanort because I was impeding his corruption of Terra."

"You were what?!" Yensid shot up from his chair, frightening Alirah to a painful thud on the floor. She fell to her back, groaning at the soreness. _That's right._ Yensid never knew Xehanort attacked her. When she climbed back to her feet, Yensid shook her by the shoulders. "He actually attacked you?! How did he have the chance?! What with Terra-"

"THAT'S JUST IT! Terra left to see you!" She screamed, removing his hands by the wrists.

"What?"

"Xehanort wanted our help in finding a boy named Vanitas and Terra didn't know where to begin looking! That's when he went to you for help!" Yensid's eyes darted side to side. Terra returned to him a second time without Alirah. "When I mentioned you might know, we were going to come see you, but Xehanort insisted I stay with him until he came back." Yensid's eyes widened. _That time...I sensed something._ In the midst of his meeting with Terra, Yensid sensed something terrible happening. "Xehanort attacked me, knocked me unconscious, and then told Terra it was the Unversed that attacked me. Which is how I landed in...Radiant Gardens." _Why do I keep forgetting the name?_ Yensid was lost in a horrific epiphany, coming to grips with what caused him to become unraveled. He'd nearly forgotten how terrified he was.

 **xxx**

 **Flashback**

" _Master Yensid…" Terra announced his return to my home, bowing to me in respect of my rank. He was such a well mannered boy. "Pardon me for the abrupt entrance, Master. There is something I wish to ask you about."_

" _No need for apologies, My Boy. You are welcome here." There was a change in the boy after his brief departure. A drastic change. I could not for all my being put my finger on what had caused this change, only note that he had become resolute on something of grave importance. I subconsciously acknowledged Alirah's absence, and became increasingly unhinged by fear. "Where has Alirah gone?"_

" _No need to worry, Master. She is with Master Xehanort." At that moment, I should have insisted Terra return to Alirah and retrieve her post haste. Instead, I entertained the boy's presence. At the time, I foolishly retained a hope that Xehanort's darkness would not lead him astray. That, in a strange twist of fate, he would give up on his dark desires. Had I known Alirah was in direct danger, I never would have allowed her to remain in Eraqus's care for so long. Vulnerable to Xehanort's onslaught._

 _Terra proceeded to tell me that he had found Xehanort, and that he was doing well. A notion I graced a smile to, while at the same time was grimacing. Terra then told me that he has learned of a boy who is not only controlling the Unversed, but is also a piece of Ventus that was pried apart from him. A being of pure darkness controlling creatures of utter chaos, with an insatiable desire for destruction and pain. Terra was confused by these turns of events, unsure how to proceed in order to defeat and stop this terror. I advised him to approaching things differently if he wished to arrive at the truth. That he should consider this boy and Xehanort one in the same problem. When presented with this dilemma, Terra was reluctant to believe that the man who saw his true potential could be in league with Vanitas. To that end, I tried to correct myself and not jump to conclusions. Truthfully, I did not wish to think this way. But the evidence, and what the stars have shown, was too overwhelming. He has always been lead by his heart, and it is that decision that he began to be lead astray. And I was unable to prevent him from leading my granddaughter and the one she considered brother in the same direction._

" _Vanitas is the source behind the Unversed amassing in these worlds. Alirah believes you may know how to find him."_

" _While I appreciates my granddaughter's unyielding faith in me," I stroked my beard in rumination, "My method of locating this boy is base and primitive." I shook my head drearily. "In order to find that which is ushering chaos, you must follow the trail that they are leaving, and it will inevitably bring you closer to them."_

" _I see…" He hummed thoughtfully. "The more Unversed and the stronger they become, the closer I will get to Vanitas." It was a tactless plan, but all that he had. "Then...perhaps it is a good thing Alirah will be with me." At this, I was unnerved. "Alirah's stronger than you or I ever believed. She's able to practically sense the Unversed. She may be able to locate Vanitas."_

" _Per...haps...UGH!" A bolt of lightning pierced my whole being. Fear and sadness consumed me as I sensed something horrendous transpiring. Until many years for that day, I never understood why I saw this take place. Alirah's battered form falling into darkness, her precious light fading on the darkness. All I knew was that she was in danger._

" _Master! What is it?!"_

" _Return to Alirah at once!" I commanded desperately. "You must take her away from that graveyard! NOW!"_

" _R-RIGHT!" Without a moment's hesitation, Terra darted to go to her rescue._

" _Terra!" I stopped him with one more piece of advice. "I must implore you! This boy, Vanitas - Alirah must not come into contact with him!" This I etched into his heart. "Her powers are that of Darkness, and Vanitas is a being of darkness. Should they meet, I fear the repercussion could be catastrophic for her, him, and Ventus!"_

" _What do you mean? Are you saying Alirah could somehow become involved with what's happening?" He questioned me with hostility. Under the assumption I doubt Alirah's allegiances._

" _Her powers, if tampered with, can cause either great good or great harm. If Vanitas and Ventus are one in the same, and he is a pure being of darkness in human form, then there is a danger she could destroy him!" Alirah has been capable of controlling those of darkness, and wielding others as if they were puppets. Destroying them from within was not far off. "What will become of Ventus...I am afraid I can only theorize. And it will remain as such so long as you keep her and Vanitas apart!"_

 **Flashback End**

 **xxx**

Yensid's reasons for his command then were mostly personal. But, in this moment of recollection, he believes he was sound in his judgement. Still, one of his fears has come to light. "You knew of Vanitas, then. Did you ever meet him?"

"I don't think so. But I did learn of Ven and Vanitas being one in the same."

"Yes, Terra told me as much." He stroked his beard. "Xehanort revealed this truth."

"Years ago when he summoned us to the Graveyard." And boy the act he put on makes her puke. "He played grief stricken by what has transpired, that because of his foolishness Vanitas was created, and Ven was left in a comatose state." And Terra ate it up like Aqua does a dessert. "He then said he tried to contain Vanitas, but he escaped and began creating the Unversed to terrorize the words. And, because of his mistakes, he couldn't have Ven stay with the man who has caused him such _grievous harm._ "

"A pretense belying the even greater harm he would come to inflict." Alirah rolled her eyes. As if she's not aware Xehanort is a master liar. "Once the three parted once again, their journey took them farther and farther into the breach, prying them further apart. Seeds of mistrust were planted, resentments towards one another were bred, and Xehanort and Vanitas would see to it that they flourished until those three tore one another apart." Yensid lowered his head contritely. "These three were inevitably lured to the Keyblade Graveyard where my sights failed me."

"Where...both he and Vanitas attacked them." Yensid wasn't surprised she put the pieces together, but was baffled she said it with such notable vengeance. "Xehanort revealed much during my time in Castle Oblivion. Even about...Ven and Vanitas were the keys to forging the X-Blade, all for the sake of unlocking Kingdom Hearts. A Fairytale made real. Yensid astonished, allows her to continue. "Xehanort also revealed...that he killed Master Eraqus because he was constantly getting in the way."

"Then my assumptions were correct." Yensid uttered with relief, sinking in his chair. "It was Xehanort who eliminated Master Eraqus."

"You sound surprised and relieved." She moved to his side of the desk, sitting on it.

"I feared for many years that Terra may have struck him down."

"WHAT?!" The rage she felt towards him returned in a Hell storm. "Why would you-" Alirah stopped, recalling the _relationship_ Terra and Eraqus had, then let her shoulders drop. She doesn't want to be mad, but her anger only swelled when she came to grips with why Yensid would believe something so absurd.

Yensid took her by the hand, wishing her to not be crestfallen. "It was no secret Terra disliked being shackled by the darkness, nor is it secret he resented Eraqus's decision to deny him Mastery because of it."

"Even so. That's not enough to make him attack Eraqus!" She rasped. Terra would never attack him.

"No indeed. But Eraqus attacking Ventus was perfect motivation."

"What?! The Master attacked Ven!?" She shrieked. "Wait...did he know about Ven? About him being the key to making the x-blade?" _I'm wondering though, how could Namine fix my memories to divulge all of that?_ Was it even her?

"Yes. Master Eraqus made it his sole mission to keep Ventus put. But their journey guided him right into Xehanort's hands. Returning home, Eraqus was confronted by Ventus, then attempted to assassinate him. Terra rushed to his aid, then - as you explained - Xehanort ended him."

"Bringing them to the Keyblade Graveyard where it all ended." Alirah stared at her hand, able to feel Eraqus's Keyblade in her palm. "That's why it was ashamed. He raised his hand to two boys in his charge. Two boys he claimed to love very much." Yensid sank in his own guilt of having done the samething. Raising his hand to his own flesh and blood because he feared the powers she held. "Do you know what drew them there in the first place?"

"Xehanort, after his intentions were revealed, invited Terra. Ventus was lured by Vanitas. And I told Aqua where she would find Terra."

"Why...why was she looking for Terra?" She was looking for Ven and Alirah to bring them home. Why would she change to Terra? Unless… "Master Eraqus…" She mumbled. Yensid lowered his gaze. Alirah felt icy coils crush her heart. "She thought he killed him too…" Alirah placed a hand over one eye, tears glossing the ruby irises. _Aqua...how could you possibly believe that?_

"She did not want to believe it. Thus leading her to confront him at the graveyard."

"Did you ever see them after the graveyard?" Her voice quaked.

"Yes." Alirah gaped astonished. "Master Aqua arrived here with Ventus, after he fell during the battle at the graveyard, and then left with him, eventually arriving to Radiant Garden."

"What about Terra?! What happened to him?!"

"He and Xehanort battled. Xehanort ultimately winning and taking possession of Terra's body." Yensid closed his eyes. "How Terra, now Xehanort, came to escape the Graveyard, I am afraid I do not know."

"After that is when I must have been was drawn to the square." Where her battle with Terra, now Xehanort, began. "What happened to Ven and Aqua?"

"Ventus fell into an unwakeable sleep. His heart lost after the destruction of the X-blade. Where his heart has gone is a mystery." Roxas and Sora came to Alirah's mind. She kept that to herself until she can be sure, but she cannot dismiss how...alike the three are. "Aqua took Ventus, and hid him somewhere where she knew he'd be safe until he can be awakened. Afterward, she located Terra and engaged him in combat."

"In hollow Bastion...RADIANT GARDEN!" _Why does she keep doing that?_ "I sensed their fight that night. But when I got there, Aqua's armor was empty. Terra - Xehanort - was next to it." She begged him to awaken. SHe wanted ot know what happened to Aqua. That's when she saw it in those gold eyes. Terra was no more. "As you know, I fought with Xehanort, eventually being beaten and taken to the castle." She nearly killed him to. Hiano lashed out in response to her strong emotions. Had she not intervened...Terra would have died. In spite of him being possessed, Alirah sensed his possession wasn't...complete. Just like Riku with Ansem...she doesn't think Xehanort touched his heart. He can't. "Why was Aqua's armor left anyway?"

"The Realm of Darkness had come to claim them both. Aqua abandoned her armor before she and Terra were swallowed by the darkness. That is when I lost track of her."

"So...wait. Aqua's...alive? She's trapped in the realm of darkness? Are you sure?"

"I would surmise. Why?"

"Thanks to Chernabog, I learned how to summon the souls of those passed to fight alongside me." Special circumstances are required. One being she's in the realm of darkness where her powers are at their Zenith. "When Sora and I fought Ansem, I summoned Aqua and the others to help me fight. Eraqus's Keyblade brought them to me." She's still unable to explain how it found its way into to her when she swore she left in Radiant Garden. She's even more curious where it went after all this time. "Aqua's presence was different from the others. As if the real person was standing right there." She turned to her side, planting her hands, pleading for Yensid to be straight with her. "Is it really possible - or that simple - that she's been there this whole time?"

"A feasible conclusion." He replied cryptically. Again, he cannot make assumption on that which he is unclear on. It was enough for Alirah. _She's been so close...all this time._ It made her smile. To think Aqua may have been right there with her after all this time. "Do you...wish to find her?" Yensid will not stop her if she chooses to.

"More than anything. But I can't." She slid off the desk, wrapping her arms tightly to herself. "As much as I hate to admit it, Aqua is probably safer there than out here. So is Ven." She declared. She peered out the moon shaped window. The number of stars coinciding with the number of places he could have been hidden. "Aqua hid Ven to protect him from Xehanort, and as long as she's missing he'll stay out of his reach. His Nobody IS still walking around." The one who supposedly resembles Terra. As for where Aqua hid Ven, she can't help but think she knows where that is. "I'm willing to bet he's got her armor locked away somewhere too, expecting her to randomly pop out of nowhere. If I bring either of those two back with Xehanort's Nobody - Xemnas is his name - walking around, he will try to finish what he started nine years ago."

"Then how will you come to the answers you seek? Much is beyond your knowledge due to your absence."

Alirah fluttered her fingers open, dark flames swirling her palm. "The Darkness." She said with a smile.

"Pardon."

"The stars converse with you the same way the darkness speaks to me. Coupled with my little quirk," She flared her eyes open to gold, "A trail should present itself. And thanks to you, a majority of the holes were filled." Without realizing it, her trail was already laid out. Eraqus's Keyblade revealing its shame and showing the Master falling. Xehanort's shadow spinning its tale to her in Castle Oblivion and knowing which details were true or false. And then...that homesick feeling she got when they left the castle, sensing Ven and Aqua, and encountering Terra once again.

"But your trail is scattered. Many holes still remain. Hints you have may not be enough to go on." He doesn't mean to discourage her, but she must be prepared for her mission to go terribly awry.

"Maybe not...but my friends are reaching out to me, wanting me to solve the mystery. And the darkness is going to help me do it." Terra and Aqua have come to her aid throughout her journey. And now this boy Roxas appears. Those three are practically begging her to chase them down. "If I follow their path, it may uncover what happened to them all those years ago." Alirah touched her heart. "I have to know."

"And when you do solve the mystery, what will you do? There are no guarantees it will bring them back."

"No there aren't. But it's better than sitting in the dark." Yensid ignored the pun. Alirah touched a hand to his shoulder, locking tender eyes that melted his irresolution. "Memories hidden in darkness are coming to light. The rift that broke them apart started in Hollow Bastion and ended at the Keyblade Graveyard. I need to know what happened in the middle."

"What purpose will it serve?" He implored her to answer. He placed a hand to hers.

"Put my mind at ease. Even if the answers I seek ultimate destroy my illusions."

"There's more to it than that." He declared. He took both her hands in his. "I sense Xehanort is at the forefront of this journey." Her cheeks flushed as she was exposed. "This will be your way of confronting him."

"Xehanort's being was imbedded within me. For nine years he's been feeding off my fear of him!" Treating her like a seven course meal. She's never felt so violated. "Through my painful memories he grew stronger, and was eventually able to take shape. The more I feared him, thought of him, the stronger he became."

"Yes…I remember." Yensid rumbled disconcerted. "During your battle, he was near his zenith from when he fought Terra and his friends. He forced you to your breaking point where you marshalled your true power to defeat him." He hummed under his breath, narrowing suspicious eyes to his fidgeting granddaughter. "Defeating his shadow wasn't enough for you. You want to walk the path he used to lure your friends to their end, and confront the beast you've run away from." Alirah lowered her head. She hates how he can read her like a book. "Alirah, this path you are on will only lead to more pain. Not to mention it will lead The Nobodies in pursuit of you and Riku." Alirah's fingers tensed, her lower lip sucked between her teeth. Yensid's eyes widened anxiously. "Unless...they've already-"

"They haven't found us yet." She lied. He can't know. She saw how he reacted to Xehanort's attack on her. Yensid may not act on impulse habitually, but he can become very irrational. _I can't tell him about that boy from before._ Roxas. That's what he called himself. His face plagued her, flipping her stomach. _That boy isn't Ven. He can't be._ There's no way he'd look the same after almost ten years. _And yet the resemblance…UGH!_ A bolt struck the back of her being, sending a tidal wave of dread washing down her back. "Oh no…" She trembled.

"What is it? UGH!" Yensid shot from his chair as she darted for the star shaped window. Alirah practically threw herself out the window, half her body hanging out. Yensid meandered up behind her, unnerved by her gasps. "Is something the matter?"

"Hiano and Mickey! They're here!" She panicked. They were walking towards the front steps. It must have been Hiano. He can wander between worlds too. The two shot their gaze up. She plastered her back to the wall milliseconds before they saw her. "Dammit! How did they find me?!"

"A silly question." Yensid scolded her. "You and Hiano know one another perfectly. It is only natural he would track you down here!"

"But he hasn't recovered for a trip like this! How could he have...Merlin!" She snarled, clenching her fists. "He must have fixed the door! I have to get out of here!"

Yensid wanted to ask about this door she spoke of, but raced to stop her when she ducked into the backrooms. "Alirah, this is lunacy! Hiano is your guardian, and you his master! You cannot-" She pried the back door open. Yensid slammed it shut, barring her way. "Why are you running from him?!" He roared.

"It's not him I'm running from! When you named me Master, it was because you were convinced I had conquered the darkness within me, and have evolved past my discretions. You couldn't have been more wrong." Alirah coated her ruby eyes in gold. She knows Yensid can see the monster within her. Floating aimlessly within the darkest recesses of her being. "I haven't conquered anything! It's only grown stronger! I will not have Hiano serve a Master that is not only incapable of controlling what is rightfully hers, but is unsure of her worth to him!"

"You know he would follow you into the breach without hesitation."

"Yes he would, and he would be the one paying the price!" Hiano's almost died because of her one too many times. All because she was too weak or too scared to fight with all her might. She won't put him at risk like that ever again. "Grandpa, I'm begging you! And I haven't done that in 12 years!" Yensid groaned in weakness to her big, sparkling eyes. Desperation glazing her face. Normally he is immune to her childish and very irrational plights. The past years have kind of impacted that resilience. She hasn't needed him for so long. How can he deny her now? Easily. He just has to say no. Which he isn't going to do.

Yensid breathed in defeat. He opened the door. "Out the back there is that tear in the bushes you would play in. Do you remember?"

"Boy, do I!" She's fallen through it more time than she can count. She forgot when it went though. She'll find out soon enough. She pulled Yensid to her level, pecking a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you! And please apologize to him for me!" She dashed out the door, slamming it behind her. Yensid touched his cheek completely stunned. Her stampeding feet gradually faded on the steps. He went to the nearest window, spotting Alirah just exiting from the secret door. She dug her way through the bushes, discovering the vortex from her childhood. She turned to the tower, waving one last time to Yensid, then dove into the vortex. Just like that...she was gone.

"Hmm…" Yensid curled his fingers to the window sill, running his fingers worriedly through his beard. "Another impetuous youth venturing into unknown territory, seeking the truth within lies woven by a master manipulator." Yensid cannot help the overbearing fear of her meeting the same fate as the previous three. History, a fickle monster, continues to repeat itself, and has now roped his only surviving family into the fray. And, once again, Yensid refrains from stopping these young warriors from leaving his sights. Inevitably...this may be the last time he ever sees Alirah again. "Xehanort…" Yensid growled, his gnawing teeth drawing a thin trail of blood, "The stars as my witness…" A ravenous storm brewed within his narrowing eyes. Dark clouds took shape around his tower, reverberating with guttural thunder, "I will not allow you to take her from me again!"

 **To be continued.**


	10. Step One is The Hardest

**Step One is The Hardest**

 **Moving on.**

 **xxx**

 **Day 68/5**

 **of**

 **358/5 days**

The massive Agrahbanian gates closed behind Riku with a bone reverberating grind. He inadvertently flinched at the _boom_ of this sealing. If he wasn't convinced otherwise, he'd swear he was trapped inside a prison with no means to escape. In a way, yes, that is very accurate. The shackles he wears are real, and they tighten with each second this wayward journey he set on progresses. To rectify the damage he and Alirah wrought whilst under Maleficent's thrall. To _apologize_ for everything they've done, for the pain they've caused, and to offer the Princesses of Heart the means to protect themselves from the swelling power of darkness. Even if they were to deny the aid - an outcome Riku expects - he has to ensure that he puts the protection in place. Should this world fall into the darkness again, it may become unable to save. And that is when Riku will have truly failed. That being said, he should get started.

"Where to begin…" Riku murmured to himself, casting a dazed stare over the narrow streets. He took solace in the fact not much has changed since he was last here. What with he and Alirah tearing the world apart to look for Jasmine, distract Sora, and put the final touches on their little coup against Maleficent's cronies, it's a wonder the place was able to still stand. "Jasmine…" That's a good a place to start as any. Riku was here to offer Jasmine protection and an apology. Though, in truth, he wanted to prolong that reunion. But, with no other real options left, Jasmine is as good a place to start as any.

"Ugh...here we go." He groaned. The palace must have been the sore thumb of the city. Can't exactly miss the ivory, polished towers past the worn down, ruined, decimated city. Riku's sense of injustice made him question why funds from the palace weren't spent to improve the city. Oh well. He's not royal. He can ponder to his heart's content while he walks.

As Riku meander further into the city, passing an arch into the great bazaar, he began to daydream. The last time he was really in the city, ironically, was in a memory created by Castle Oblivion. In spite of being a figment invented by the cards, it was as real as when he previously came. The sounds, the smells, the sights - all of it. Funny. The city is as dead, yet full of color, as the memory. No people wandering the streets, merchant stands empty. It was a ghost town.

"Wait…" Dread filled Riku's spine, stopping his legs. This isn't a memory. This is real. And just like the first time, the people ran into hiding or vacated the city. All because the danger was growing out of control. "This smell…" Riku curled a palm near his nose. It was everywhere. Snaking into his nose, seeping into his skin. A vat of darkness swarmed the city. "Heartless! Everywhere! But where?!" He twisted in rampant circles.

" _AAHH!_ " Riku jumped out of his skin, wide eyes snapping to an alley. Jasmine came running for her life, practically tripping over her scampering feet. Her arms were propelling frantically, fingers clawing at the air to make her run faster. Riku gasped in horror of the Bandits chasing her down, swinging their scimitars boorishly. She'd glance back and forth, driven into panic the closer they got. Her foot snagged on a stick. She slid to a face full of dirt. The heartless leapt to their air, bringing their swords down upon her. She curled into a ball, covering her head. "ALADDIN!" Tears streamed down her face.

Riku summoned Souleater and pushed into a lightning fast charge. Seconds before the heartless plunged their swords, his keyable slice clean through them. They vanished into a puff of smoke, the hearts they trapped released to the world. Riku released a breath of relief, moving to the trembling Princess. "Hey...are you okay?" He timidly asked, lending her a hand.

Jasmine shakily removed her hands, glossy eyes full of amazement. She slowly pushed up, coming to grips with the disappeared heartless. "Y-Yes…" She replied dazedly. She touched her face, pinching here and there, ensuring she wasn't dreaming. Her head dropped, dry laughs of relief leaving her quivering body. "Yes! I'm alright! Thank you so-" Her fingers barely brushed his glove before terror, and a mix of rage. "YOU!" She slapped his hand away, scrambling to get as far away as possible. Riku sighed somberly. He wasn't surprised, but didn't anticipate being bothered by it. Jasmine's back was pressed to a wall, the anger boiling her veins making her quake. "What are you doing here?!" She demanded. That was a long story Riku wasn't sure how to begin. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call the guards?!" A threat more than a question.

"Well I did just save your life! That should grant me some sort of goodwill!" He barked impatiently.

"GOODWILL?!" She shot to her feet in outrage. She squared up, trying to appear imposing. "For the man who abducted me and made me into a martyr for that monstrous dragon woman's scheme?!"

That's a sting from a very valid point. She's leading, time for him to catch up. Being aggressive won't work. He has to appeal to her better nature. "Princess Jasmine, please! I know...I know that I've wronged you! I won't insult you by apologizing!" He'll insult himself at the same time. "But I swear I'm not here to hurt you or anyone else!"

"Then why are you here?!" She snarled through grinding teeth.

"To make amends and make sure you're safe!" Jasmine's face dropped completely baffled. She stared long and hard, pondering if she heard him wrong, or if she hit her head. Her expression was marred with suspicion. Riku looked her dead in the eye. Unwavering and unafraid of what she plans to say or do next. She wasn't buying he wanted to make amends, but let him continue. He did save her, and he COULD HAVE taken her if he wanted to. She should at least hear him out. "Maleficent is gone. Her team is either dead or disbanded! They can't hurt you! Alirah and I...won't hurt you." He took a chance and approached a couple steps. He stopped when she stood on the defensive. "Our only wish is to make things right however we can."

She folded her arms, doubts beaming off her presence. "But you still haven't explained why I shouldn't have you thrown in the dungeons?" The rub to this conversation.

"Because I know there's nothing I can say." He shrugged defeatedly. In the end, there's really nothing he can say. This might be harder than he originally thought. "I've hurt you, and dozens more like you, because I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to prove I was…" He grunted loathsomely at himself. He doesn't know what he wanted. He just wanted off his island and to show up Sora. And to show Alirah he wasn't weak. Everything that was in the middle...was caused by his own selfish impulses. "I want to make things up to you. To Aladdin and the others as well." Jasmine cringed at Aladdin's name, glancing to the ground. Her heart stopped, body jerking back. Riku closed the gap, staring her in the eye. Every fiber in Jasmine told her to either run or fight. She braced herself, gritting her teeth. Her frail fists were bunched. Then she was stunned by Riku dropping to one knee, bowing his head. "Please. I'll do anything to make things right. If you want me to leave, I'll leave. If you want me dead...well…" He laughed very dryly. He'll raise Hell, but he'll let Jasmine get in a few swings if it will make her feel better.

Jasmine hummed pensively. She doesn't know Riku from a stake in the ground, and yet she can sense...sincerity coming from him. He was truly remorseful, and was willing to prove it. She turned her back to him, obscuring the wrenching she was undergoing to decide what to do. "In the desert." Riku lifted his head, arching a baffled brow. "There have been reports of monsters in the desert. We sent a patrol this morning and they haven't returned."

"I see." Riku rose to his feet, a bold smirk on his face. "And you want me to go see if I can't find them."

"And deal with the monsters." She curtly added. She whipped around, a stern glare unnerving Riku. "Do that and maybe - just maybe - I won't consider having you executed!"

"Done." He agreed without hesitation. He turned on his heels, heading out.

"WAIT! You don't know where to go!"

"Don't worry. I'll figure it out." He impishly reassured her, exiting the bazaar.

 **xxx**

Meanwhile, at Yensid's Tower, the old Master was under harsh scrutiny from a gaping Mickey and Hiano. With great reluctance, but with utmost respect for their stations, the Old Master informed them of Alirah's presence and departure. The backlash was much more mild than he anticipated. "She was here and you let her go?!" Hiano cried in dismay. He pressed the tip of his tail to his forehead. It may have been mentioned that Yensid is prone to hasty acts leading to faults in his person. But this outcome takes a strong frist to all others. Well, maybe not his assassination attempt. "Master Yensid, with all due respect, how could you have done something so foolish! Riku and Alirah need us!"

"Do they, Hiano? Or do you need them?" He sharply retorted. Hiano was taken aback, lowering his head unsure. Mickey was silent to the shame leaking from the serpent upon his head. The question has put a gag on him. Yensid meandered behind his desk, hands folded behind his back. "My friends, I wish for both Riku and Alirah to be in your company as much as I wish they were in mine. That way…" He somberly sat to his chair, eyes closed in resignedly, "I can monitor the darkness amassing within them every second of the day." In that event - Kingdom Hearts forbid - that either young warrior is taken from them...forever. He ogled the pair before him, not obscuring the disquieted churning rankling him. "Our fears are mutual and real. Two very emotionally unstable teenagers with powers of an unfathomable magnitude growing beyond anyone's comprehension is very terrifying. Equally terrifying is the idea of it destroying them, those around them, or evaporating both at once." If they are going to speak openly and honest, Yensid had to address the numerous elephants occupying the space. "But the reality is...if we continue to hold their hands...we only increase the leverage of the crutches they've implemented and we will inevitably guide them to ruin."

"You can't know that." Hiano hissed. He leapt onto Yensid's desk, hood and fangs glaring venomously. He refuses to accept that as fact. Riku and Alirah need them.

"Riku's powers were an accidental discovery for him, and were strengthened beyond his mortal control by Maleficent." Hiano flinched under the intense piercing stare. "The boy nearly destroyed himself, his friends, and the worlds. Ruin would be his ally until the end came." As much as it pained him, Hiano could not rebuke the statement. To have walked side by side with Riku for so long, born witness to his plummet into the darkness, he won't be an affront to guardians by providing defense against a cold hard fact. "Mickey," The King tensed, "Before, we've nearly lost Alirah twice. Once because of our folly, and a second because a demon caught up to her. In between those occurrences, the grief and sorrow she suffered under fueled her long wanton desire to find her friends, driving her toward Maleficent's side. Thus beginning the string of horrors we've witnessed." Mickey has yet to forgive himself for the part he played. He rubbed his arm guiltily, preventing his gaze from meeting Hiano. "Hiano, none of us here wish to lose Riku or Alirah more than we have in the past. But to ask them to remain by our sides for our own sake is not only selfish, it is also cruel." Hiano's expression wrinkled confused.

"How is it cruel, Master?" Mickey asked, hands propped to the desk.

"As we know, their goal is to seek forgiveness for the pain and damage they've caused." To return to the worlds they've left irreparable scars imbedded. "If we do not allow them this journey, they will never grow into the man and woman we see them as. The struggles enveloping them with take them whole if they are surrounded by those scared of losing them." Mickey and Hiano are guilty in that aspect. "It will mean that we do not trust they can overcome what ails them."

"I trust them, Yensid. I trust them with all my heart." Hiano swore to the gods that watch from above and below. Incidentally, he also speaks as a guardian of the parental variety. "But I have grown to love these two more than I have anyone in the millenias that I have been alive. I cannot bear the thought of not being there when they need us."

"A notable apprehension, and one I can assure you need not be obsessed." He mustered a tender smile. He bravely ghosted his fingers along Hiano's spine, pleased he did not resist him. "When the time comes, we shall be there for our young companions. In the meantime, there is a way we may assuage our paranoias."

"How?!" Mickey lunged onto the desk, startling Hiano off the edge. That thud would come to haunt him.

"Riku and Alirah wish to make amends to those they've wounded. The seven princesses for example." Yensid need not run roll call to remind them of those seven pure hearted ladies. "Using this, you should be able to track them down. BUT," He halted the anxious pair. They may provide wisdom to their teenage companions, but they have developed their own impulsiveness, "Linger in shadows not even they will see you in. It is imperative they never know you are tracking them."

"I am afraid that is easier said than done." Hiano regretted to say. "Mine and Alirah's bond will alert her in advance of my presence." And considering how fast she sped out of there, she sensed him at the front door.

"Riku will be just as perceptive." Mickey forewarned. "He's a fast learner with his powers. He'll sense us coming a mile away." He shook his head.

"Nevertheless, you both must be vigilant. The opposing darkness these two face will be at their backs constantly." Yensid alerted. "Should you be caught in the crossfire, the sorrow ushered will sink these two. Never will they be able to surface." Be that as it may, neither can give up on finding them. For whose sake is irrelevant. Riku and Alirah must know that they are not on this journey alone.

"We'll watch our step, Master. We're off!" Mickey promised. He scooped up Hiano and dashed out the door.

Yensid mentally noted Mickey and Hiano's newly formed partnership. "Hmm…" A guardian of one left in the charge of another. An unfounded circumstance, but not an uncommon one. Especially in a circumstance in which...the current Master fears the rapidly encroaching future. "So...you have entrusted Hiano to Mickey. A most interesting turn." He admired with amazement. He stroked his long beard with a sense of ease, and yet was anchored mercilessly by this swelling unease. "You've finally come to trust in those around you. But only...due to the likelihood…" His hand paused at the top of his beard, his teeth gnawing on his lower lip, "That you do not intend to return."

 **xxx**

Riku had hoped his time in Agrabah would be a bit more lengthy than this. Rummaging through the desert was less appealing the second time. Especially since he has to walk 500 miles in any given direction until he comes across a bunch of guards being attacked by heartless. Even if he senses them, the trip was going to exhaust him to nothing. He's starting to miss Hiano. With him around, finding the patrol would be a cinch. Maybe if Riku centers himself he'll be able to catch a whiff of darkness.

"HUH!" A shadow darted over him. Riku whipped around, spying a blackened out rectangular something racing circles in the sky. He winced at the blinding sun, placing a hand to his forehead like a visor. Gradually vibrant, exotic colored stitching showed on the circling object. Tassels on the four corners were wagging wildly. "Wait a minute…" Riku hummed pensively. Is that...it is! "WHOA!" The mysterious object pulled into a dive. Riku hit the sand, feeling a breeze as it swooped past him. He knew it. It's a flying carpet! Not just any flying carpet! That's the carpet that belongs to that guy Aladdin. "If he's here, then that means-GAH!" Carpet drifted in a wide turn, gunning straight for Riku once more. He skipped to the side, weaving back as those dangerous tassels tried to strike. "WHOA! EASY FELLA! I'M HERE TO HELP!" Riku pleaded, dodging and diving from the bombing throw rug. This was a new one.

"HELP?! HAH! That's a good one, Silver!" Riku yelped at the sand suddenly parting from his feet. Large blue fingers pinched him at the collar, lifting him like a human sized feather. His nose and the nose of a large blue man smashed together. "I see through your tricks! And incidentally through the back of your skull!" Furious, jet black eyes stretched in and out. Riku was stuck between gagging or cringing. Maybe he'll do both. "You're back to finish what you started! Probably come to steal our beloved Princess again!"

"No, I'm not! I just-wait…" Riku's struggling to be free of the man halted. He traced the uncharacteristically muscular blue form to the smokey tail replacing a set of legs. "Aren't you that Genie of the Lamp?"

"AHEM!" He dropped Riku on his butt. "That's FORMER Genie of the Lamp to you, buster!" He put fingers to his chest, poetically correcting the ignorant boy. _Please forgive me._ Riku rolled his eyes. "And YOU, my silver haired friend," Riku's eyes crossed at the blue finger at his nose, "Are you're that menace paling around with Jafar and that blue haired girl!"

"FORMERLY paling around with Jafar." He snickered impishly. "As for the blue haired girl...that's a long story! I need your help!" Carpet and Genie gasped dumbstruck, and rather irritated. Riku understands how presumptuous he must sound, but what he's doing is too important to worry about it. These two are the answers to his prayers. "Jasmine said a team of guards went missing while investigating trouble in the desert! She asked me to find them! I don't expect either of you to believe me, but innocent people are in danger!" Genie's brow scrunched incredulously. He glanced to Carpet, receiving a shared skeptically tassel wave. They weren't buying it. Not entirely.

"We've heard rumors about monsters in the desert. And that people have gone missing." Genie confirmed. "But why would Jasmine ask her kidnapper for help?"

"Because I'm trying to make amends for kidnapping her!" He assured them imploringly. "She's giving me this chance, and I'll do whatever it takes to bring those people home safely." Genie and Carpet still weren't fully convinced. Although, his soft expression was wearing them down. It sounded like a stretch, but the fact he hasn't attacked was earning him points. Not to mention it wasn't beyond him to lay waste to Agrabah. "Do you...do you think you guys can find those guards?"

"Can we find them?! What a question!" Genie scoffed affirmingly. He clapped twice. Carpet nodded and swooped Riku off his feet. He screamed terrified, hanging by Carpet's hem for dear life. He purposefully did three loops, savoring Riku's whimpering, and then stopped on a dime to give him that extra jerk. His head bobbed dizzily, an unflattering shade of green filling his face. He hopes that gurgling was a geyser and not his stomach. "The monsters you're looking for are ripe near the Cave of Wonders! That's where your guards will be!"

"The Cave of Wonders?" He choked on air pressure pushing on his stomach. "I thought...it collapsed." He heaved. He was going to collapse. Not before he ruins the upholstery.

"Ya thought wrong, Kiddo!" Genie got behind Carpet. His tail turned into a turbine engine. Shrill whirring of energy gathered. Riku went ten shades of green, bracing himself. "3, 2, 1 - BLAST OFF!" The sands split down the middle. Genie broke the sound barrier, tearing the desert air asunder. They disappeared beyond the dunes, the Cave of Wonders on the horizon.

Carpet and Genie drove into several barrel rolls. The desert and clear blue skies meshing as one blur consumed them in a blinding tunnel. The terminal speed crushed Riku with his own weight. He clawed at Carpet's edges, pouring his atrophying weight into staying planted. The fear that if he flew off the air would shred him to pieces. Genie was cackling like a madman, threatening to go faster and screaming at how alive he felt. Riku was glad he was feeling alive because he was about to die the second this wild ride stopped.

 _SCREECH!_ Genie wrenched Carpet to a dead stop. "AAAHHH!" Riku was launched like a cannonball, diving face first into a soft sanded dune. The stiffness wore off, leaving him limp as a noodle. "HRMPH! GRR! BAH!" He planted his feet and freed his head. He was going to be spitting up sand for a month. "Why the...sudden...stop guys?"

"We're here!" Genie announced, binoculars peering into the distance.

Riku crawled up the dune, poking his head out. Genie lowered the binoculars to his face, guiding him to a formation of rock protruding from sinking sand. "Oh! There!"

Four guards stood at the vanguard of petrified merchants, swords unsteady in their clamoring hands. Fat Bandit and Bandit heartless trapped them at the rocks. Forming bruises blemished their skin. Heavily dripping sweat stung the fresh cuts and abrasion tattering their clothing. Traces of blood stained their uniforms. Their labored breaths spoke volumes of the oppressive fatigue pleading their bodies to keel. Their swords were bent and dented. The stainless steel on the verge of shattering like glass. The heartless were the polar opposite, prepared to go till the next day should the humans continue their futile struggle. Their gleaming scimitars, and the massive rotund bodies, rootin any plans for a foolhardy chance run for freedom. The Captain of the guard stood out amongst them. He'd weave one direction with an opening, grimacing as it was instantly closed. His lieutenant would attempt to try his luck at an escape, effortlessly thwarted by a fireball at the ground. The searing heat transformed sand to glass. The guards were inched further to the rocks, their backs practically one the cowering merchants.

There was no time for a plan. Riku summoned Souleater, throwing the smothering cloak away. "Can I count on the two of you to get them out of there?!"

"We're on it, kid!" Genie saluted.

"Carpet!" Riku sprang on and was on a smooth ride to the fray.

One of the three Fat Bandits towered over the guards. Every instinct wrought of their training forbade them to run and abandon their charges. Regardless of the outcome, they would honor their city - their Sultan and Princess - and stand their ground till the last man. The Fat Bandit drew in a breath. Sparks gathered at his throat. A rippling ball of fire formed in his mouth. The Captain, the guards, and the merchants bunched together and closed their eyes. " _YAMI NO BLIZZAGA!_ " Their eyes snapped open. The Bandits escaped, but the Fat Bandits were encased in crystal fissures of transparent black ice. The leading Fat Bandit's flame died in his mouth, its glowing yellow eyes going black. Carpet looped straight up. Riku gracefully flipped off, landing with feline precision between the heartless and humans. Souleater extended, he dug in his foot and charged. Three rapid slices and he emerged on the opposite side of the heartless fray. His cerulean orbs flared open. The Fat Bandits crumbled to pieces. Them and the ice in which they were trapped melting on the spot. Riku spun to the ready, succeeding in drawing the remaining Bandits' attention to him.

"Who is that boy?!" The Captain, Razul, gasped in awe.

"I don't know, Captain." His lieutenant, Fazal, marveled. "But praise Allah for his timing."

"THIS WAY!" Genie urged vehemently. Carpet pranced erratically for them to hurry. The Guards escorted the merchants to the pair, hands to their swords should those monsters break from the mysterious boy.

The bandits had Riku surrounded. He was not swayed, nor intimidated, by their obviously distracting dance. Their habitual attempt to trip up their prey by skipping in alternate directions. Swinging their swords virtually at nothing to illicit a desperate response. Riku was not deterred. He ground the ball of his secondary foot, Souleater held in place for the first strike. He focused on a central point in the desert, using that and the humid breeze to heighten his teeming senses. The bandit directly behind him struck first. Riku split his legs, stooping low just as the scimitar breezed past his head. A handful of hairs were severed. Riku swept a leg around, robbing its feet from under it. He flourished Souleater, plunging it into the heartless chest. It writhed briefly, then disappeared. The next two leapt, axing their swords down his exposed shoulders. Darkness surged to the blade. Riku twisted round, slicing The Bandits clean at the hip, dispersing them back to the dark realm. He whipped Souleater to the final bandit. It stood trembling, miniscule legs clenched together. "BOO!" The heartless instantly dissipated. Riku released a breath, placing hands to his knees. He made it in time, and there were no casualties. He's off to a good start.

Riku joined Genie, Carpet, and the others over the dune. The guards and merchants were tending to the wounded, rehydrating and building their strength for the journey home. "Is everyone alright?" He scooped up his cloak.

"Thanks to you!" One of the merchants threw himself to Riku's feet, sobbing into his pant leg. "Thank you so much for saving us!" Riku stammered on a blank mind, struggling between comforting the sobbing man to pushing him off. He can't take all the credit.

"LOWER YOUR WEAPON!" Razul commanded. Riku was surrounding once again by swords aimed for his chest. The sobbing merchant obliged and scampered away from Riku. Genie and Carpet were ready to pounce. Riku urged them to stay put. He raised his hands, sheathing the Keyblade in thin air. The Guards gasped and murmured fretfully, inching their swords closer. Riku eyed Razul directly, unwavering under the threat. "State your name! How did you come to find us? How is it you can destroy those monsters when we couldn't?" So many questions poured from this man's mouth, and only a select few can Riku answer. He studied up on the rules of entering worlds. Rule number one: don't meddle in the affairs of other worlds. Rule number two: do not reveal the presence of other worlds. Rule number three: if unable to heed rule one or two, play it down and try to dissuade further curiosity. Question is, how does Riku play down a magic key?

"Jasmine sent him!" Genie testified, placing himself in the middle of the guards and Riku. He astonished the young keyblade wielder. "Heard the whole thing! She asked this young fella…" He trailed off, wrapping an arm to his shoulders, urging for a name.

"Riku."

"RIKU to come and help you guys out!" He shook him. Riku blankly raised a thumb. He escaped that one.

"The Princess sent HIM?" Fazal repeated incredulously. He eyed him downcasted. Of all the people for the Princess to send to their aid, she sends a less than impressive looking boy. "That does not explain how he was able to defeat these monsters? Unless he summoned them!"

"Look!" Riku stopped him there. He won't be accused of bringing these monsters here. Though it is roughly accurate. And that is an awkward conversation he can't have twice. "We can point fingers and cast suspicions later! Right now, there is a worried sick princess in Agrabah waiting for you guys to come home." He pointed in the direction of Agrabah and felt a spark shoot tingles up his arm. He furrowed his brow, staring hard to the misleadingly vacant wasteland. The darkness...it was everywhere...coming closer. Virtually standing on them. "We need to leave before more heartless show up."

"Heartless?" The guard named Jamal questioned.

"Those creatures that attacked you." Genie answered simply. "Now enough talk!" He clapped his hands. Legless camels sprouted beneath the guards and merchants, chewing on licks of straw. The sheer fright on their faces was priceless. Hands scrambled under the hovering camels, a dire need to confirm they were really flying. One of the guards hugged the camel for dear life, and a merchant was trying hard to not vomit. "We're heading home!" Riku climbed onto Carpet, taking the lead. Genie turned into a pack of mush dogs and followed after them.

 **xxx**

Riku and his caravan of misfits gradually disappeared in the distance. Demyx and Luxord emerged from behind the rock formation, repulsive glares boring into the so called Hero of Darkness. Demyx scoffed contemptuously leaning to the rocks with his arms folded. "Guess we can safely assume that we've found the kid named Riku." One of the thorns their Lord and Master mentioned. He threw his hands up with a hoot, "Let's log this as a success and go home! Saix might actually pay us a compliment!" He tore open a portal.

"NO!" Luxord hooked him at the collar, collapsing the portal. He dropped the pouting boy to his rump. "Our mission coincides with the appearance of that young man." Demyx threw his head back. The look of indifference begged Luxord to remind him before he completely loses interest. "While we scope for potential locations for Roxas and Xion to collect hearts, we are to study and report on the whereabouts and actions of the interloping Keyblade Masters."

"We just saw the guy take out heartless without breaking a sweat!" Demyx pried himself free, darting to his feet. "What's more, we now know why it's been such a hassle finding him! He's dressing like us!" He flexed his cloak's collar.

"But we do not know why?" He hummed. Why, why, why. The same question with the probability of containing dozens of reasons or answers. "Why has the boy donned the cloak? What is he doing here in this world? And why is the girl not with him?"

"The one Xigbar and the guys seem to be anxious about? And the same one who laid Roxas out flat?" The last one made him snicker.

"The...very...same." Luxord meandered atop a stretch of solid land, basking in the brief breath of cool air. A dark grin split down his face. "In the short days since Xemnas revealed these two to us, they have escaped Castle Oblivion and bested the operative who were stationed there." Demyx shudders at the amount of power they had to put out in order to do that. None of those guys were exactly pushovers. "Next they were sighted in Traverse Town. And now one is here on this backwater world, and the other is nowhere to be seen. Both likely dawning our apparel to conceal themselves."

"And this means...what again?" Demyx was drawing a blank.

Luxord chuckled at his young companion's lack of forethought. He'll have to speak slowly and use smaller words. "Our young friends are on a mission. One that relies upon their ability to remain in the shadows." Demyx's eyes widened. And the question he is about to ask is precisely what Luxord wishes to confirm. "We are going to learn of that mission, Demyx. And by learning their strategy, The Organization will hold the cards that will put them at our mercy." He purred. Then maybe - just maybe - they will learn why Xemnas is putting up such a fuss over these two. And finally gain the upperhand.

 **To be continued**


	11. Trust Has to Be Earned

**Trust Has to Be Earned**

 **Instead of dedicating each chapter to one person, I'll go between Alirah and Riku and interloop their storylines.**

 **xxx**

 **Day 68/2**

 **of**

 **358/2 Days**

"Grr! Hrm! Gah! UGH!" Alirah tore surprisingly thick bushes apart, emerging with sticks and leaves stuck in her hair. She spat out a walnut, not at all amused by the portal's less than funny exit point. "No idea where it goes, huh? Yeah right, Gramps!" She stomped onto a dirt laid path, dusting pines needles out of her shirt. Above in a tree she was somehow projected into, she abandoned the cloak Diz gave her. The seam at the hood hooked onto a large branch, and the rest of was stuck to brambles snaking the tree. No way to get unstuck, she left the cloak to hang there until she decided it was worth coming back for.

Diz warned that without that cloak, The Organization would be able to find her and Riku, and will come after them like a pack of wild dogs. Taking the cloaks was a choice assured by the insurance Sora would remain safe. If The Organization could not find them, they would never find Sora. Then he'd be able to awaken with his memories fully intact, and would return to the islands where he belongs. Riku and Alirah accepted the responsibility and donned the cloaks. But, in the grand scheme of things, Diz - Ansem as Alirah knows him - had a tendency to over exaggerate. Not to mention, he wasn't always right. More often than not he was wrong. ABout many things, and about hundreds of people. In spite of _Saix_ and that Roxas boy finding her, she ruled it as a pure accident or a coincidence. Yes, in the past, Isa and Ven were rather skilled at finding Alirah no matter where she hid. Terra, Ienzo, and the others were also quite adept at that trade too. But these shells aren't Ven...or Isa...or anyone else from her past. They are Nobodies. Shadows - figments - of the humans they once were. They don't know a thing about Alirah, and they sure as Hell won't find her unless she wants them to. Mickey, Yensid, and Merlin with all their powers couldn't track her down while she worked under Maleficent. These...Organization members don't stand a chance.

 _I'm not joining you. I sure as Hell won't dress like you!_

Adding to her irritation were the rocks that somehow found their way into her boots. Tiny stickers were caught in her detached sleeves, rubbing a rash to her forearms. She's seriously losing patience with doors throwing her all over the place. Closets, holes, bushes, THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN! "Tossing me into the woods. Great! As if being thrust into random regions in Castle Oblivion wasn't annoying enough! Now my Grandfather's tower is upholding the forced upon tradition!" Wherever that door sent her better be worth the nature stuck in her skirt. "Riku got to choose to waltz wherever he went! Wonder how he's doing?" Whatever's happening, she's sure he's fine. Unawares that he's found himself in the middle of the desert, and a very obnoxious parrot is about to catch his attention.

She hummed nostalgically at the passing wood. The smell, the feel, and the very look of the forest were familiar. The clearing she entered sent her a shock from the past. The two towering boulders marking the entrance and exit. This is where...Xehanort confronted her. Where she learned to tame the fury residing in her. Apparently. "I know this place." Her head was a upside down from her vortex trip, but she'd know this place anywhere. Emerging from the trees, she marveled before the stone bridge connecting to a marble stone palace erected atop a mountain's peak. The home of Princess Aurora. The first Princess of Heart to be abducted by Maleficent. "Guess the doors from your tower do lead here." Xehanort's shadow threw her into his own vortex that sent her here also.

The Enchanted Dominion. One of the many worlds Aqua, Terra, and Ven visited on their scattered journeys. Part of Alirah was wishing she'd kept the Wayfinder Aqua made for her. Touching Eraqus's Keyblade revealed portions of his secret. Maybe the Wayfinder would have done the same. Maybe. She just hopes that her hunch is correct and that he powers won't fail her here.

Electricity shot from her feet to her spine when she crossed onto the bridge. As if snared by a demon's glare she was rooted to a dead halt, eyes widening in unease. Flashes from the past flooded her mind like a tsunami, crashing viciously to the turbulent shores of her waning subconscious. She braced herself to the stunted wall, falling dizzy under the torrential images. This bridge...was the same bridge...where her fate becomes intertwined with that of Maleficent, and where Terra learns the seduction darkness possesses.

To think, by some strange twist of fate, this would be the beginning of Alirah's relation with the Dark Faerie. The strings that tied Alirah to Terra, Aqua, and Ven separated into various directions, harmlessly leading her on her merry way to new worlds, and to those who live within them. One of those strings, retaining a sick sense of humor, drew her to Maleficent. Never did she remotely consider...that eight years from that day...would she come to serve that witch. It disgusts her.

"Huh. Man…" Alirah placed a dreary hand to her eyes. She just thought of something she hasn't considered. She told Yensid she'd use the darkness the way he uses the stars to find answers. What she neglected to acknowledge with herself is that she doesn't know the first thing how to make the darkness work for her. Fighting, casting spells, summoning the Keyblade or Souls is one thing entirely. They were superficial and easily attainable. What she wanted to do was peer into the past and see what took place. Similar to what Eraqus's keyblade subjected her to. And while she's sure those three passed this bridge, she sincerely doubts touching everything they did will provide her with answers. "Great, Alirah. Here you go again making plans with no real forethought." She slid to the ground, hugging a knee to her chest. And even if she does touch everything, there's no guarantee she'll learn what she needs the most. "Help me, Terra." She pressed her forehead to her knee. "Help me understand." Invisible tendrils seeped from her, grasping at thin black slivers.

' _What's this? Why are you both not asleep, boy?'_ Ice encased Alirah's spine. She whipped around. Her inside churned like butter. She staggered away, horrific disbelief plastered to her paling face. She had to balance herself to the wall. Right there, standing before her, was Maleficent herself. But how? She was...she's dead! _'That fool, Flora, cast a spell that put everyone in this castle into a deep slumber._ ' Hold on. She's heard this before. When they first approached Maleficent on the bridge. Then that means-!

' _Who are you?_ '

Alirah spun around instantly, gasping aloud in grief. Her body went light as the air, but felt heavier than stone. Dressed as a warrior of old, brown hair mildly spiked touching the shoulder, and blue eyes deeper than the ocean. "Terra?" She squeaked. It was Terra. Terra was standing right there. Inches away from her. "Terra! It's you! It's really-huh!" She wanted to embrace him. Hold him and never let him go. Then she saw it. Or rather...saw...her. Alirah backed away terrified. Hiding behind Terra, crimson red orbs diverting anywhere Maleficent wasn't standing, was...Alirah. That's when it dawned on her.

' _Why, I am Maleficent. As all in this Kingdom would know._ ' The fairy responded.

"This is…" She looked from herself, to Maleficent, than hesitantly at Terra. Not once had their eyes so much as diverted to her. She circled the trio, feeling lightheaded the closer she drew. She stopped in front of Terra, shakily extending a hand for his. She took one last breath and moved the hand in. Her hand went through Terra, his body distorting like a mirage. Because that's all it was. Her heart sundered into hundreds of pieces. "This isn't real. It's just… a memory." On cue, those memories faded into nothingness, leaving Alirah more alone than when she arrived. She's not sure how much more of this she can take. "Very...vivid...memory." Guess fate isn't the only thing with a twisted sense of humor. The bridge has one too. "Not the first thing I wanted to see."

She stormed down the bridge, desperately wanting the strong gust of wind to blow that experience far, far away. Maybe blow her with it. The ravine below seemed far enough. So much for finding answers. Guess the darkness is just going to play old memories for her. Eraqus's keyblade must have been a one time fluke. Terra was right beside it. His emotions, the emotions stuck to the keyblade were out of control. That might have been why she saw anything. She doesn't have anything like that. _How the Hell am I going to do this?_ Is this whole venture going to be a waste of time?

"HALT!" Spears crossed at her chest, a third with its pike at her neck. Bows and arrows from above the portcullis aimed directly at her. This must be tearing her apart if she didn't notice she was at the gates. She can easily repel them. Send them hurtling off the bridge or paste them to the wall. Instead she raised her hands, taking three steps back. The guards kept their weapons trained. "State your business! Who are you?!"

"My name is Alirah and I am friend of Princess Aurora's?" She was unsure if she should call herself a friend. She and Aurora didn't exactly exchange greetings when she was a kid. Their meeting at Holl-RADIANT Gardens was kind of forced, and under the worst possible circumstances.

"We do not take kindly to liars here! Now answer us!" She hissed at the pike touching her skin. Her fingers wiggled. Oblivion's mist danced around her fingers.

"Alirah!" An angelic voice called from beyond the gate. Alirah was caught off guard by Aurora gripping to the large bars. The guards nibbled on their lower lips, resisting saluting their princess. They maintained their offense against the stranger. "Please...OPEN THE GATES!" Two guards cranked the portcullis open. Aurora swerved under the gate, rushing between the guards and Alirah. She placed hands to the pikes, urging the spears down. "Please, please, everyone lower your weapons! She's a friend!" She stood behind Alirah, warmling embracing her by the shoulders. "This young lady is a good friend! She helped save me from Maleficent!" The guards shared looks of confusion, but inevitably took their weapons off her.

Alirah was never more relieved to not be drawn into a fight. "I guess this means I owe you two." She laughed dryly. Her cheeks flushed pink. Aurora's light burned brighter than the stars. The burden of her experience hadn't weighed her down an inch. She's come home and is adjusting fine. That makes her happy beyond words.

"Come in, please! We can talk inside." Aurora escorted her into the castle, heading for her room where they would have privacy. Alirah resisted taunting the guards. She felt the thin ice at her boots and didn't want to fall through.

Entering the Castle Foyer, Alirah was sprung into nostalgia. Castle Oblivion aside, the first time she set foot in these halls was when she was six. It was humongous back then. Still is and she's ten feet taller. The guards systematically saluted their princess or stood at attention as she meandered by. Alirah ignored the harsh glares and bracing palms on their weapons. She'd be insulted if they weren't suspicious of her. Happens a lot. Her hair and eyes aren't exactly natural.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come. Merlin told the fairies you, Sora, and the others vanished. Not to sound pessimistic but..." Alirah's track record suggests she's excellent at covering her tracks. Seeing as how no one caught her and her friend before abducting her and other princesses.

"I made you and the others a promise." Alirah twirled ahead, walking backwards with hands folded behind her back. "I promised I'd drop to my knees and beg for your forgiveness. I always keep my promises." She guided Aurora to sit on bench before the spiraling staircase. She then dropped to one knee. Aurora was honestly shocked, blushing dreamily. Alirah placed her forehead to her hand. "And I'll do anything you ask so you'll forgive me, Aurora."

Aurora placed a hand to her chest, lost for words and breath. Again, she wasn't anticipating Alirah being so humble. The girl she saw at that hallowed castle was prideful, powerful, strong, and downright stubborn. This girl is the polar opposite. "Please, Alirah, you don't have to do anything." She reassured her, leading her to her feet. She titled Alirah's head up by the chin, brushing hairs from her face. "You kept your promise to me. That alone shows you aren't the same girl." Alirah doesn't feel any different. If she hadn't come along, she would have flattened those guards. Aurora saw the guilt on her face. "But if you're determined to make things up to me, there is something you can do." Alirah was all ears. "Come on, let's talk in my room." Where guards couldn't watch them every second.

Aurora opened her bedroom door, allowing Alirah inside. She nodded thankfully. Entering had a more profound effect on her than planned. The room was exactly how she left it all those years ago. Maybe a few things were moved around, but ultimately...the atmosphere was precise and on point. The space at the fireplace where Maleficent stood, reveling in her victory at ensnaring Terra's mind to do her bidding. And how easily she thwarted a six year old Alirah trying to stop her, convincing her that she was too weak the way she was. The balcony overlooking the castle grounds, the scenery projecting to the city. And the bed. The bed Aurora was confined to in her cursed sleep, waiting for Prince Philip to awaken her, and for her once stolen heart to be returned. Alirah ran her fingers along the covers, lavishing in the soft feel of the silken sheets. She closed her eyes, immersing herself in the lifted ambiance. The room was night and day. What Maleficent did was long behind her. This bed...would no longer be her prison.

' _GET AWAY FROM HER!_ ' Alirah screamed and jumped a mile in the air, back colliding with the wardrobe. She hyperventilated in pure terror, fingers clawing at the hard wood. Her eyes wide in terror as the room blurred in and out, three shadows - red, blue, and green - stood to one side of the room, and a fourth shadow...an orange one...was on the other. That shadow was bowing its head.

' _I'm sorry. She's just so beautiful._ '

Alirah was losing color. That voice just now...it sounded like Roxas. Amid her trembling the shadows gradually took on discernable forms. Those three good fairies she met in Castle Oblivion - Flora, Fauna, Merryweather - wore furious expressions. Their wands were raised. Her head stiffly moved to the fourth shadow. A blond haired boy came into view, ashamed at having trespassed into Aurora's room. That wasn't Roxas. It was… "Ven?"

"Alirah!" Aurora's touch to her shoulder broke her from her trance. She squeezed her eyes, shooting them open again. The room was empty save for herself and Aurora. She lost her for a minute. "Are you alright?! You look like you saw a ghost!"

"You wouldn't know how true that was." She replied dazedly. _What was that just now?!_ She cried mentally. Ven, the fairies...they were in the room! Weren't they? "A-anyway! You said you had a favor to ask me."

"Yes. As someone who worked for Maleficent," Not her finest moment, "I take it you are familiar with her home here."

"The Forbidden Mountain. I've visited it before."

"When Maleficent was alive, I'm assuming. She IS gone, right?" She added apprehensively.

"I was there when Sora destroyed her. She can't hurt you or anyone else ever again." This she would swear her life upon.

"Then this is where my favor becomes...slightly unsettling." It was unsettling at the first mention of Maleficent. Alirah asked her to sit down, seeing she was unbalanced. She hesitated before touching the sheets again. No voices came. "For the past few weeks, there have been _rumors_ that someone or something has taken refuge at Maleficent's Palace. Men who are looking for a thrill often visit the mountain and usually return disappointed."

"I...take it that case has changed."

"One group that returned says they _heard_ a woman wandering the halls. One even said he saw the silhouette of a woman with horns watching them." The hairs stood on the back of Alirah's neck. She never enjoyed ghost stories. Least of all when she knows there's truth behind them. "The Fairies wish assure me that what those men experienced were...mere ghosts that wander the land. Telling me that I am concerned over nothing."

"Probably because that woman has hurt you enough!" Alirah squeezed her hand. "They don't want to her to take anymore than what she already has from you!" Neither does Alirah.

"And I appreciate their concern. Truly! But what those men described, and others after them - I am convinced Maleficent or her ghost are inhabiting the mountain!"

"You really believe in ghosts?"

"As much as I believe in heartless, magic keys, and men who harness darkness." The clever counter put Alirah in corner. She hated how non-reserved these princesses seem to be. Snow White knows how to twist her words too. "And, also, The Fairies haven't been seen in the past few days. They said they wouldn't be gone long. No one's heard from them."

"And you think they went to the mountain."

"I know they did." Aurora took her hand, holding it to her pounding chest. The purity beating within her heart snaked Alirah's veins. The unparalleled light she emitted choked her darkness. The room was spinning again. It's amazing she isn't being burned. "Please, Alirah, I know that she is up there. I can...sense it." She lowered her head, tensing fearfully. The same way she sensed Ansem as he fueled the darkness to consume the remaining worlds. "I can't ask the guards knowing there's a danger they won't return. And when I know they don't believe me."

"Not everyone here has seen what we've seen." Even then, it'd be difficult to accept.

"Does that mean you'll investigate?!" She asked hopefully.

Alirah released a defeated breath, shoulders sinking. "Yes. I will."

"Thank you so much!" Aurora hugged her, beside herself with joy. Alirah returned the hug, while internally she was leering hatefully at the mountains. What she feared to tell Aurora is...Maleficent may still be alive.

The day Sora ended her, and when she encountered Maleficent in Castle Oblivion, something _off putting_ struck her like a bolt of lightning. Maleficent is not unlike a cockroach. If there is but the smallest sliver of a thread tied to retaining her amongst the living, she will grasp at it with slippery, blood covered hands and pull with every ounce of strength. The most critical of wounds roll off her back. She stares death directly in the face, and spits at him. She has been alive since time first moved clockwise and she would continue to extend her corporeal form until those hands stopped. Killing her was never as easy as it sounded and it certainly wasn't in the realm of possibility. The last person Alirah experienced die was Eraqus. His whole presence vanished, taken to the land beyond where he would rest in peace. Maleficent's presence lingered. Bound to this earth by a vice like grip. In Castle Oblivion, the memory taking the shape of her carried an essence. Nothing like the other figures of memories. This figure had a pronounced...sense of self. As if the shadow had given itself a body and became her. To all appearances, whether she realized it or not, it felt as if Maleficent was alive and in the castle. Foolishly believing someone like Sora could end an evil like that with a few blows is what may be costing Aurora her fairy friends. She doesn't doubt Sora's strength for second. She just knows Maleficent's better. If she wishes to defy death's call, escape into the darkest breaches for another day, she will gladly mock him and take her leave. Waiting for that day where she would return.

 **xxx**

Alirah returned to bridge, minding her step around the ansty guards. They've really sided on disliking her. Oddly enough she was flattered. She's not in the mood for new friends anyway. Or, more simply, locked in a prison at the farthest end of her waning heart, she was too scared to want new friends.

"Well, well, well. Lookie who I found!" Alirah's eyes ignited to enraged gold. She flew into a rapid spin. Oblivion materialized from blackened lightning, the tip stopping inches from Axel's face. "EASY, LIRA! Just me!" He joked, feigning being unafraid of the blade. He did feel a bowel movement at the static streams snaking his hair.

"LEA?! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed heatedly, keeping the blade on him. The fiery haired fox is too unpredictable to be trusted at first blush. He's proven he's willing to raise a hand to her in the past for his newfound and old buddies. Usually for fun.

"Looking for you." He crooned impassively, tapping Oblivion's tip. It succeeded in aggravating her. "Had the most interesting talk with your _boyfriend_." The eye roll couldn't be helped.

"Riku?" She tilted her head.

Axel leaned in with a foxy grin, "Do you have another?" He bounced a brow.

"Of course not!" She shrieked, sheathing Oblivion. She put hands to her hips, "What the Hell are you doing here anyway? Last time I saw you, you were roaming the halls of that all white castle!"

As subtle and direct as ever. Axel's always entertained by the part of her. "Our esteemed Leader, Xemnas, wishes to recruit you to our ranks. He wants to turn you into a Nobody." He tried to paint it as a brochure for a free vacation. Although he's aware of the response he's going to receive.

"I already know that! Our _friend, Saix_ , told me himself."

Axel went green. A drop of sweat clung to the side of his head. "You...Saix confronted you?" His voice cracked. Not that he didn't see their meeting eventually coming. He just...didn't want it to come so soon. There's a great deal of history there.

"He did and I turned him down. Not before I said I'd kill him like I did the others!" Axel winced at her ferocity, then took a few steps back. Alirah folded her arms. The grim expression chilled Axel to his very core. A deep seeded fear was sprouting in his stomach. "I also had the pleasure of meeting Roxas." That seed sprouted thorns, tearing his insides to ribbons. "You remember VEN, don't you? Any particular reason Roxas resembles Ven to Tee?" The rage turned her words to acid, burning his flesh. Her brow furrowed more, the gold rippling like magma. "Or the fact that, should I rearrange his name, it spells SORA!" Axel cast his stare to the ground. He doesn't even have the decency to admit it. "I suppose it's no surprise that he can wield the keyblade! What is surprising is why a kid as weak as that is being kept around?! What does The Organization have planned that involves me and him?!"

"Can't tell you that?" He shook his head remorsefully. He extended a hand. "Not unless you join us." Alirah remained silent, her hands balling into fists. A no if Axel ever saw one. "Can you really be so surprised that Sora produced a Nobody? Those with a strong heart who become heartless leave behind a shell that becomes the Nobody." Alirah had forgotten that. Hiano explained as much when Larxene attacked them. "That being said, should you become a heartless," Kingdom hearts forbid, "You would surely become a Nobody of exceptional strength and power. Xemnas would see to that."

"Let him try." She dared in a low, vibrating tone. "Zexion, Saix, Roxas - Xemnas can come himself! Nothing will make me into one of you!"

"Careful what you wish for, Lira." Axel strode behind her, peering into the plummeting ravine. "Xemnas and the others aren't going to pull punches. He's ordered your enlistment at all costs. Including Riku." He added ominously.

"Riku?" She wavered. "What's Xemnas going to to do Riku?!"

"Xemnas doesn't care what happens to him. It's you he wants alive." He was jerked around, slammed to the crook of the wall by his collar. Axel maintain a stone face, even with a keyblade spilling with darkness inches from his face.

"Anything happens to Riku, Xemnas won't going to live long enough to recall what REGRET feels like!" She bared her teeth, driving Oblivion's tip to his cheek. A thin trail of blood spilled. "As will anyone else that touches him!"

"You really think they're going to heed that warning?!" He challenged, pushing Oblivion away. "Our friends know how to find you, Alirah! They always have! And now that you're running around again, they won't stop at nothing until your powers are theirs to exploit!" Can't she see it yet? There's no running from The Organization. They'll keep coming until they get what they want...or they erase her forever.

"Again! Let them come!" Oblivion disappeared. She ripped her hand off him, boring a golden glare into him. "I won't stop until I learn the truth!"

"The truth about what?" He choked, using the wall to stand.

"Nine years ago, three of my best friends vanished without a trace! I refuse to believe they just dropped off the face of the worlds." Ven is asleep. Aqua is wandering the realm of darkness. And Terra...Terra was just...somewhere. "I'm going to learn what happened to them, and not you or your new possy can stop me!"

Axel dusted himself off. He studied Alirah, seeing her steadfast determination for this mission. "You know...Lira...the truth hurts worse than ignorance." He shuddered to say. Alirah was aware. _The truth hurts_ is a wise and literal piece of advice. Remaining in the dark of her friends' fate may be the best for her mental health. Her heart, on the other hand, can't bear the mystery. What she sensed leading to the night she found Aqua's armor has haunted her for years. That tear in her heart. The threads connecting Terra, Aqua, and Ven snapping at once. It's unprecedented they drifted apart on their own. Xehanort was behind it. She just needs to learn how he drew them to that point. "But if your heart is set on this, I won't stop you. And not because I know I can't." Even though that's the main reason. He pet her head, going on his way. "I'd better get back before someone at the castle misses me." He opened a portal. "By the way, you may want to put the cloak back on." Alirah raised an alarmed brow at him. "I saw that Riku had one. Only guessed that you do too. No offense, Lira, but you stick out like a sore thumb to us. We'd be able to pick you out from a crowd ten worlds away."

"Right…" A warning for her, since she refuses to hide, to make herself less of a target.

"Good luck, Alirah. I wish you the best." He blew her a mocking kiss, entering his protal.

"Thank you...Lea." Axel paused in awe of his former name. He huffed humorously, proceeding through his portal. There was a gust when it closed, leaving Alirah with her thoughts. "At least you stayed the same." She tugged at her clothing, suddenly feeling very naked at having abandoned her cloak. Still… "I won't put it on." She snarled. She's already connected to these shadows by her past. She won't dress like them. She won't give them that sort of satisfaction.

 **xxx**

The road to Maleficent's impenetrable fortress was forever engraved in Alirah mind. As if someone had taken an iron fresh from Hell's Flames and pressed it firmly, ensuring she'd never forget the stench the approach projected. The smell of once fertile land alive with an abundance nature and wonder, beauty and serenity. Now, like many worlds plagued by evil, rotting in the decay of misery and an insatiable desire to crush all under the foot of starved wrath. Suffocating still was the indomitable feeling of isolation as the trees and plants gradually lost vigor. The lush green faded to an abysmal navy, paling to a dim grey. Grass so soft and bouncy under her foot cracked and broke, dying to dehydrated patches of dirt and weed. The closer the border drew, the more Maleficent's evil was felt. The unbridled pulling and biting of her malice, claws peeling at the flesh to reach the organs and bones lying within. The witch's absence has not yielded her formidable essence to the wastrel's of time. Even gone, the power she possessed continues to ravage where she roosts. The power like that unto a god. It was frightening. And yet...strangely...comforting. The most terrifying of all? She hasn't crossed into her territory yet.

"Refreshing, don't you agree?" Xehanort - the shape her inner Mancer had chosen to take - parted from behind her, walking side by side as her daunting shadow. The croon of his voice gnawed as he relished in her discontent. He inhaled the putrid air, admiring the replacement of trees for aged bedrock. "The dark energy flowing from a land still leagues away brushing against your skin. Reminds you of the feel of feathers." Gloved fingers traced her exposed shoulder. His touch killed patches of her skin, decaying the marrow in her bones. By sheer will she resisted shying away. "Delicately teasing your sensitive skin. Causing your synapses to fire on all cylinders and crave what you starve yourself of. How very seductive the power of darkness is." His lips came close to her ear, "Why not allow it to take you in its full embrace? The efficacy of your journey for truth may be expedited."

"Are you done yet?!" Alirah snarled. "You're really wearing on my nerves."

"I just thought you could use the company. After all, you abandoned our serpent on Hollow Bastion."

Alirah whipped around, coming nose to nose with her shadow. He smirked at the sour chord he plucked. "I didn't abandon him! He and Mickey couldn't come with us this time!" She declared unwaveringly. "This is a journey Riku and I need to take on our own!" Something she assured herself was the truth at the time.

"Are you sure that's the sole reason, _MASTER_?" Alirah faltered at the title. "Oh! Forgive me! I forgot that you haven't truly earned that title yet."

"Shut up!" Her eyes turned gold.

"What's the matter? You admitted it yourself. You don't deserved to be a master." He cooed menacingly.

"Shut...up!" Darkness pooled at her feet.

"Just like Terra didn't deserve it."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" She swung her arm. The smiling shadow was torn to ribbons. A gaping hole in a hillside wall exploded to the other side. Rock, grass, and dirt roared in every direction. Shrieks of blackened embers merely grazing Alirah's cheeks. The fury of her golden orbs faded on her heavily panting breath. The hill was dissected top to bottom, splitting apart as its rock melted under the traces of black mist wafting from the wound. "AGH…!" Alirah clawed at her face, cursing herself in self loathing. She fell right into his ploy so easily. And simply because...she knew he was right. She didn't abandon Hiano for his own safety. She abandoned him because...she failed him. She doesn't deserve him...her title as master...she doesn't deserve a damn thing. "Hiano...Hiano!" She dropped to her knees, pounding at the ground. "What now? What am I supposed to do now?" Does she even deserve to know the truth anymore?

" _OH DEAR! RUN!_ " A voice cried. Alirah pulled herself from her misery, catching three glowing orbs darting across the path ahead. _The fairies!_ Alirah gasped, jumping to her feet. Their fearful whimpers pleaded for someone to aid them. Two Lance Soldier and Armored Knight Heartless gave chase. Alirah summoned Oblivion, using the newly forged hole to cut them off.

The fairies were chased to a river, fluttering their tiny wings at mach speeds. Each sister bid the other fly faster, keep up, and be careful. They used the condensing forest to their advantage, ducking and diving in and out of bushes and between branches to trip up their pursuers. The Armored KNights, to heavy to chase atop the trees, charged ground side for their chance to strike. For as clumsy as the Lance Soldiers were, their self willed lances guided them like homing rockets. The first missed The Fairies by a mile. The second darted between them, sending them aloof with a gust. They fumbled into their larger forms, becoming entangled in thorny vines netting a pair of large rocks.

"Oh no! We're stuck!" Merryweather howled. She and her sisters pulled at the brambles hooking their dresses, only to worsen their situation. To their horror, their wands were out of their reach, and the Armored Knights had them cornered. Their drew their swords back. The Fairies closed their eyes. " _XANARA!_ " Ultra violet, black lightning surged throughout the knights. The clattered and spasmed uncontrollably, then burst into flakes of darkness. "Are you three alright?!" She beckoned.

"Yes. LOOK OUT!" Fauna cried. Alirah glanced up, then dove out of the way.

The missing Lance Soldiers were thrown by their lances, painfully body slamming on their landing. Alirah's forgotten how unforgiving those lances are to their owners. The Lancers clumsy grasped at their bouncing lances. Might as well be grasping at literal straws. Once they got a hold, the lances flew out of control, charging at Alirah from two sides while trying to shake their lancers. Hard as it is to land a blow, it was increasingly harder to dodged the lances in their fit. Alirah contorted her body in ways she never dreamed possible, falling to the splits at threat of losing her head. She blocked with Oblivion. The glancing blows ringing to her arms, numbing her muscles. Her time in Castle Oblivion made her forget why she hated these ones. One lance flew up a tree, the other would take their lancer on a ski across the river, and then eventually come darting at her. She couldn't risk casting a spell. She might hurt The Fairies. Unless she tries her hand at another spell.

Both Lancers finally gained minimal control over their lances. The positioned themselves on either side of Alirah. Kicking off the ground they charged. The lances took control again. " _WIND!_ " Alirah threw her hands out. The lanced heads dented, rebounding off curved walls of wind. The soldiers skipped to painful halts, lying like limp dolls. Alirah flourished her hands, swiping two fingers down. " _Xanara!_ " Electrified balls formed, and bolts struck the soldiers, dispatching them back to the shadows. Alirah lurched forward, catching her breath. That wasn't too bad. She rushed to help the aghast Fairies. "Hold still…" She delicately traced a finger to the vines, weakening the algae covered brambles with black ice. "Okay!" She stepped back. The Fairies mustered their strength and broke free, gasping with relief.

"Thank you so very much! We thought we were goners for sure!" Flora took her hands, professing utmost gratitude. "And to be saved by a wielder of the Keyblade! We have not seen one of you in quite some time." Alirah's eyes filled with euphoria. _Do they know Terra, Aqua, and Ven?_ Then her expression saddened. _Or are they talking about Sora?_

"What is your name, Dear?" Fauna approached.

"Alirah."

"Well, Alirah, thank you for saving us."

"Alirah...Hold on!" Merryweather moved to the front of her sisters, shoving them back. "I know you! You're Master Yensid's Granddaughter!" She aimed her wand. "You're allied with Maleficent!" Flora and Fauna took in terrified breaths.

That escalated quickly. Alirah raised Oblivion. "Put that down, Merryweather, before you get hurt!" She snarled. She knew this wouldn't go smoothly. Let's see if her morals will let her strike a good fairy.

"Merryweather, stop!" Fauna pleaded, lowering her wand. "She saved our lives! Surely she doesn't deserve this sort of hostility."

"Don't let her fool you!" Merryweather warned. "Master Yensid told me all about how she fooled the Keyblade Wielder Sora, and how she played a part in abducting Princesses like Aurora." Alirah grimaced with noteable vengeance. _And he didn't BOTHER to warn me before I got here!_ She shuddered at an after thought. _Fairy Godmother._ Alirah not only complied with kidnapping Cinderella, she had Hiano put a choke on her. Woof. The Godmother sounded scarier than Fairies with not an evil bone in their body. This suddenly got harder. "She most likely was sent here by Maleficent to stop us at all costs."

Alirah brazenly smirked. Aurora's suspicions were correct. "So you did buy into the rumors." She snorted. Merryweather raised a brow. "Aurora's a sharp one. She knew you guys were heading to the mountain when you didn't return."

"You met with Aurora?!" Flora exclaimed fretfully. She isn't one to jump to conclusions, but Alirah's past history preceded her.

"She's the reason I'm out here. She asked me to look for you guys and find out what's going on at Maleficent's home."

"LIES!" Merryweather snarled. "Maleficent sent you! Admit it!"

"Maleficent doesn't send me anywhere anymore!" And she never will again. "And she can't since Sora killed you a while back!"

"What did you say?!" The blue fairy's wand lowered in shock.

"Maleficent is no more?!" Flora breathed.

"Dead as a doornail. Saw it myself." A white lie, but necessary to build rapport. The Fairies muttered amongst themselves, debating on how any of this was true, if Alirah was lying, or if there's a trap waiting for them. "If you don't believe me, that's fine. But I have a job to do!" She took her leave.

"STOP!" Merryweather moved ahead of her, pressing her wand to Alirah's chest. _I'm really starting to not like you._ "You aren't going anywhere until we sort this out!"

"Calm down, Dear." Fauna gently interjected. She looked Alirah in the eye, studying her closely. She did see a great deal of anger, pain, and guilt within her. But underneath was something more. Something...worthy of their trust. A nobility. "You've grown quite a bit since we last saw you." Alirah's eyes narrowed. "Why you were four years old and barely taller than Master Yensid's knee when we met.

Relief and disappointment snak her shoulders. The Fairies have come and gone from Yensid's Tower in the past. Fellow seers of the stars must stick together. Though, the last time ALIRAH saw them was in a castle. "Yeah...that's right." Namine's powers must only stem to Sora and the people he's met. She may know The Fairies, but The Fairies would have no way of knowing her. "Truthfully, I came here with my brother Terra when I was six. A lot happened...and I guess we missed each other."

"Terra?" Flora hummed pensively. That name sounded so familiar. Where has she heard it before? Has she ever heard it? "Yes...yes I've heard that name. But where…?" She mumbled. It's right on the tip of her tongue. Alirah's Keyblade taunted it.

"Listen, I'm glad to see the three of you are doing better." Alirah raised one hand, and parted Fauna and Merryweather with the other. "But Aurora is counting on me to sort out why Maleficent's Mountain is so active. So unless you guys are planning on helping, why don't you go back to her and explain why you've been gone for days!" She curtly suggested. "Lying to her face and then suddenly disappearing has really scared her!" The three fairies sank somberly. They swore to Aurora that there was nothing to fear, when in fact there is every reason to.

"Please wait!" Flora implored. Alirah was really getting tired of being stopped. "We insist on accompanying you!" Her sisters nodded.

"What? Don't trust me to get the job done?" Alirah crooned mockingly.

"Our _trust_ in you is ambivalent. As I am sure are you motives for being here." Alirah won't deny that. She is here to try and win Aurora's forgiveness, and to assuage her own curiosities. "You served Maleficent for a time, but now you've come to aid our princess. If Maleficent has indeed departed from this mortal coil, we must ensure this is not ill-tidings of her possible return." Alirah cannot say with absolute certainty if Maleficent has returned, or if she won't. With the power being emitted, she might as well be among the living. "Creatures of Darkness tend to ally themselves with fellow creatures of darkness. As a Necromancer with such an abhorrent past, we cannot allow you to progress without supervision."

"Oh no." The sadism Alirah tended to favor tickled her. She moseyed in close to Flora, putting on a sinister grin. The Fairy folded her arms in a barrier, immoveable to the obviou posturing. "And what will you do should I prove...unfaithful?" For lack of a better word.

Flora brought her leer in close. "It is not beyond our power to erase you." The thunder in her words reverberated Alirah's insides. Glancing to an unwavering Merryweather and a contrite Fauna, Flora's words were not an idle threat.

Alirah scoffed and pulled back, laughing to herself. Her bangs masked the craze filling her eyes. To think they have the audacity to threaten someone like Alirah. Their powers are nothing compared to hers or those she has faced. Who the Hell do they think they are. " _These pretentious sprites think they can threaten me._ " Her bangs parted from one eye. The Fairies were petrified by the slit pupil of her golden eye. " _Surely you three jest..._ " Two resonating voices hissed like a serpent. The Fairies, arms trembling, raised their wands. ' _STOP IT!_ ' Alriah blinked in shock, lights suddenly seeming to come back on. Her eyes returned to normal. She groaned dazedly, rubbing her head. "Sorry." She moaned. Neither Fairy was ready to lower their wand. What was that they just saw? "Let's get going! We're losing daylight." She went first. The Fairies kept a close eye on her, following ten feet behind and covering all sides. Alirah ignored their paranoia, placing a hand over one eye. "What...what happened...just now?"

' _I won't allow such weak creatures to threaten us, Alirah._ ' Alirah glanced from the corner of her eye. Xehanort...he was walking beside her. The Fairies were ignorant of his presence. Clearly only she can see him. ' _For too long you have crippled yourself to the whims of those weaker than yourself. Used them as a lynch. Well no more!_ ' He grasped at the side of her neck. She lost her footing briefly, but continued as those horrid lips met her ear again. ' _They do it again, and I will end them. Just as I would have ended Yensid had Maleficent not spirited us away._ '

"Wait...that was you?!"

 **To be continued.**


	12. A Storm is Coming

**A Storm is Coming**

 **Moving on.**

 **xxx**

 **(Agrabah)**

Jasmine paced a hole throughout the bazaar, fearful for the safety of the guards and citizens lost in the desert. Not because of the monsters lurking, but because she's entrusting their safety to the young man that abducted her. She wanted to take the palace's best horse and race out there on her own to save them. How she would do that with no weapon to fend those heartless creatures or with real knowledge of their whereabouts would make that quest challenging. But to sit there and do nothing was torture. She has to do something. She's already unable to find Aladdin, she's can't be helpless with her own subjects.

"Princess Jasmine." Jasmine whipped around, hugging her long ebony hair. Riku stepped to the side, gesturing to the gaggle of people behind him. She gasped gleefully, placing hands to her flushing cheeks at the safe return of the guards and people. She was lost for the proper words to express how happy she is they were healthy, but also how sorry she is she allowed this to happen. Naturally she was assured none of this was her fault. As the guards of Agrabah, their duty is to the kingdom and those who live in it. And as merchants they've traveled to farther and more dangerous regions. Still, she's relieved they are safe and sound.

Riku lingered off to the side while Jasmine saw to it the civilians were sent home, and she gave her guards the rest of the day to rest and recuperate. "Glad to see our girl is doing alright."

"AH!" Riku was scared out of his skin. Genie was hanging upside down like a bat, smiling tenderly to the princess across the way. Carpet was hovering near him, bobbing his body in agreement. "What do you mean by that?"

"The rugman and I here have been on a worldwide jaunt for a while now. We just got back to check up on Aladdin and Jasmine." Genie hummed somberly. He really wants to scoop Jasmine up and hug her right now.

"Well, you're here. Why don't you go say hi?" Not that Riku can stand there and lecture. If he saw his friends he'd probably stay in the background too.

"Because Al and Jazz made a choice a while back that they wanted to fix up Agrabah on their lonesome." Riku did think he notice Agrabah seemed in the midst of renovations. Though, at first, he kind of thought that's how the town always looked. "When Al freed me from the lamp, he sent me with Sora to find Jasmine and save her." A pit balled in Riku's stomach. Genie was sent to save Jasmine from him. "That was the moment I wanted to go see the world - rugman here wanted to come - but kept putting it off because something was always wrong. When Jasmine and Al said they wanted to be the ones to fix their home, we respected their wishes and just took off." He sounded sad about leaving, but knows he would have regretted staying. He misses Aladdin and Jasmine terribly. However, it's a treat to know they've been able to stand on their own two feet without him. Riku understands that feeling too well. Being away from Sora and Alirah, he worries constantly while knowing they're fine. It reels at him sometimes.

"The hardest part about leaving is the fear of leaving those you care about behind." He curled a hand to his waning heart. "What makes it worthwhile are the wonders and people you meet along the way." What plucked him from his island was a terrifying experience. Meeting Alirah, visiting countless worlds on a wild and amazing adventure, wielding a keyblade - he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Speaking of who we may or may not meet," Genie looped Riku in close with an enormous arm, "Not too long ago, Carpet swore he saw our good friend Sora out in the desert." Riku gasped in shock. _Sora? Impossible? Is he awake?!_ Namine said his recovery would take who knows how long to finish. She wouldn't let him loose without telling Riku. "The desert heat must have gotten to him because the kid we met didn't look a lick like him. But the girl he was with looked like that girl Kairi." Riku was relieved it was a case of mistaken identity. He was bothered that anyone would mistaken someone else for Sora. Not too many people resemble him. And that girl that looks like Kairi? Who could that be? Thinking on it, he wondered could those two be Nobodies? He recalled Alirah recognizing several Nobodies as he old friends. _It's possible._ But what would Nobodies be doing in a place like this? "Now we're minding our own business, scouting for our own best bud, Al, only to find the kid that took Jasmine from us in the first place." He and Carpet leered with knuckles pressed at their hips.

Riku is never going to be able to live that down. He want in misery as remembered the fear he put in Jasmine. "Wait! Aladdin isn't here?" Assuming scouting means something else to Genie.

"Nope. Word of mouth is the kid took off somewhere and hasn't come back." Genie tossed his hands up in a nonchalant shrug. "He must be off on another wild ride." Riku striked his chin in bothered thought. Guess that would explain why Jasmine went against her judgement and asked for Riku's help. She was desperate. "Welp, we'll get back to seeing the world now." Genie tossed a mountain of luggage, and a hula girl dashboard figure, onto Carpet and threw on his best tourist outfit.

"You're hot going to look for Aladdin?!" Riku shouted astonished at his _best friend's_ hasty departure.

"Don't need to." He assured the fretting boy, hopping onto carpet.

"What if he's in danger? Don't you want to go make sure he's alright?!" Riku pressed and pressed, unable to grasp why Genie wasn't racing after someone he cares about.

"Of course I do. But then you'd never get to bury the hatchet." He teasingly winked and elbowed him with the hint.

Riku shook his head with a confused brow arched. He was about to ask when, "Riku!" Jasmine waved, sauntering over. "I need to speak with you." Riku glanced back to warn Genie they weren't done. His words gagged in his mouth. There were dotted outlines of the absent carpet and genie. A vein clenching irately to his temple. _Leaving me in the lurch! Such a Sora move!_ Jasmine approached with her hands behind her back. Riku was taken aback by the sincere smile on her cheeks. He blushed at how pretty she is. "I...um...ha...this isn't easy." She bashfully stroked hairs behind her ear. She mustered a slow inhale and exhale, calming down and managing the scrambled words on her tongue. "I...on behalf of Agrabah, would like to thank you for bringing our people home."

Jasmine blew Riku's mind when she bowed to him. Her heartfelt thanks was like a spear through his chest. Powerful, true, and nearly devastating. He's not used to gratitude. "Umm...I...n-no big deal!" He shuffled away, his blush deepening.

"It is." She argued. She curled a palm to her chest. "To be honest, when you arrived, I feared Jafar and his parrot Iago returned to wreak havoc on Agrabah again." Riku churned at their names. "They...they aren't back, are they?" She asked sheepishly, catching Riku's dismay.

Riku sighed defeatedly. Lying would only set him back. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't see Iago and Jafar in the desert."

"They're in the desert?!" She cried. That traitorous vizier and his foul bird companion are alive?! "Wait!" It began to make sense. The monster attacks, that sandstorm a while back that disappeared in the blink of an eye. "Jafar was turned into a Genie when we last saw him! He could-"

"He was trapped in his lamp!" Riku reassured her. He saw where she was going, but didn't want her to get too ahead of herself. "Sora trapped him in there, and he and Iago were buried when the Cave of Wonders collapsed." How that bird survived is a question for another time. "I left Iago somewhere, but he dropped Jafar down a deep hole. You won't be hearing from either for a long time!" He said hopefully.

"HMPH! I guess that's _some_ good news." She curtly replied. Riku crossed his arms, edged humming vibrating his throat. "Why do you still look concerned?"

"Where we - I mean I," He tripped on his words, recalling Genie and Carpet didn't want their presence known, "Found these guys, Jafar and Iago weren't too far off."

"Do you think those monsters are being drawn to him?"

"I can't be sure. But I did sense something...powerful while I was out there." He moved a hand over his nose. He senses it even know. A noxious cloud constantly expanding, choking the life from Agrabah while violently striking at those not hindered by it. "Something is definitely coaxing the heartless to attack." Jafar or something far worse. Probably wise to not mention to Jasmine that there are worse enemies out there than Jafar. After what she endured, Riku feared she wouldn't be able to handle another enemy a world beyond hers. "Hey, don't you have a friend who fends off the heartless? He's good friends with my friend Sora?"

"Yes! Aladdin! He's very brave to face these creatures alone." Riku was stunned. Her face lit up like the sun saying his name. The sternest guard would be caught off guard. "But…" Riku grew concerned as her elation faded to sorrow, "He...he hasn't been around lately. He went on an excursion to the old ruins but hasn't returned. I was going to send the guards after him after they saved those people, but…"

"They were attacked, and you couldn't risk sending more troops without leaving Agrabah unprotected." Riku finished, feeling that rock and hard place she was in. He then scoffed at his own idiocy. _That's what Genie meant._ "Then I'll go get him." He declared firmly.

"You will?!" Jasmine's head spun. She didn't see that coming. "No! I could never ask-"

"Then don't." Riku raised his hands, slowing her to a halt. "I can navigate the desert and fend off heartless better than your guards." He can sense she was relieved. Also apprehensive of leaving the fate of her lover in the hands of a former enemy. Not that she has many options. "Don't worry. I'll bring him home."

"Th…" She was overwhelmed, unable to fathom this one hundred and eighty degree turn of events. She feared it was a trick on her wavering heart. Nevertheless she nodded, "Thank you...Riku, was it?"

"Yes, Princess." He bowed.

She giggled charmed. "The ruins are east of here. The sandstorms have cleared up so you shouldn't have too hard a time at crossing the desert."

"Alright. I'm off." He turned and departed once more.

"Please be careful." Jasmine whispered.

Riku waited until he was on the outside of the city gates to groan loudly in self loathing. He slumped to the massive gates, sliding to his rump. " _I know how to navigate the desert_ \- When did I start posturing like that?!" Riku barely made it to the city the first time. And if it weren't for Carpet and Genie he'd be walking with corpses. How was he going to do it now? Those two have to be gone by now. "Wish I could summon Hiano. Or someone like him. That'd really come in handy right about now."

A _ding_ ushered a strong epiphany to Riku. Summoning Creatures! He CAN call on Hiano. Or at least another cold blooded reptile. Riku gazed at his hand, actually gleeful. He's still firmly tied to the dark realm. The powers Maleficent gifted him were burning as strong as ever. Tears holes in worlds is only a small part of it. If he's right, he just might be able to summon heartless like before. One of those Stealth Sneak Chameleons would be good. No, he had a better idea. Riku rose to his feet, taking it slow in the sweltering heat. He drew in a long breath through his nostrils, flowing his hands up his abdomen to marshal the intangible powers surrounding him. Dry heat, dust, and the hint of palm trees wafted inside. From the crown of his skull to the middle of his back he felt the darkness strengthening. On the release he closed his eyes. A cork capping his power was popped from place, darkness seeped from his body head to toe. He extended a hand. He needed to focus extra hard from lack of practice, and on the sole theory he is still capable of summoning heartless. Fingers curling and uncurling, Riku plunged his hand within the bosom of darkness intermingled in the thin sheets of the mortal coil. He scoured through teeming puddles of beady yellow eyes, listened idly to the clanking of air, ignored the bright swells of magic from Rhapsodies. He thrust his hand, grabbing hold of large red skull.

"There!" Riku's eyes shot open. From a pulsating orb spanning in the air, A wyvern heartless somersaulted to life, shaking off the violent tug it received. "Yes! I did it!" Riku cheered himself on. The wyvern audaciously bore its fangs at him, saliva dripping down its jaws like venom. Riku's face scrunched at the cliche betrayal. The wyvern raised its talons to cleave his flesh. Riku's stomp to the solid stone echoed like thunder, a wave of energy rolling the sand and freezing the wyvern in midair. It went sickly grey, whimpering like a puppy. Riku huffed and snapped his fingers, directing the beast ground ward. The Wyvern practically bowed on the landing, opening his back to the boy. Riku threw a leg over, securing himself snuggly. He kicked on the sides and guided the wyvern into the air. "Alirah and Hiano, eat your heart out!" He smugly boasted. "To ruins! Go!" He ordered, a cerulean glow in his eyes. The wyvern howled and then jetted off, tearing the air asunder.

 **xxx**

 **(Enchanted Dominion)**

As astonishing as it sounds, the most comforting fact about the trek is the forbidden mountain was another couple of minutes away. For The Fairies it marks their time with Alirah drawing to a close. Taking the high road and showing another kindness is their chosen method of the daily life. In their hearts they firmly believe in granting those with a disrupted sense of morality a chance to prove their nobility. That courtesy they were restricting from the attempted murderer of their oldest friend Yensid. And ominous as it is, they appreciate she isn't trying to schmooze them with idle chitchat. In Alirah's case, this lessens her time in the awkward silence, and being at the mercy of her rather talkative inner mancer. Who just admitted that it was her - currently his - idea to kill Yensid. Sending Alirah into a hysteria of confusion.

"What did you mean _you_ would have ended Yensid? That was my choice!" She frothed. That night when Merlin, Yensid, and Mickey conspired to eliminate her, Alirah decided to beat them to the punch and tried to take their lives. She nearly succeeded. Then Maleficent sucked her down a hole. That was...all of a year ago. Everything else since was...a short time ago. _Wow..._ She marveled under her breath. She placed hand at her hips, coming to grips with the damnable memory. _That seems like a lifetime ago._ She was consumed with rage and pain from losing Terra, Aqua, and Ven. Those three were the first victims of her eight year long pent up wrath.

"Was it?" The Xehanort shadow trilled. Alirah growled at his equivocating. Her feet were pried from under her, the grassy ground coming in fast. She saved herself from a faceplant by grabbing a protruding root. Sometimes she forgets to watch her step while having these conversation in her head. Irritating still "Or was there an underlying force surreptitiously easing you into that general direction?" Denial flooded Alirah as this figment of her dark powers claimed to be the mastermind behind her brawl with the three masters. This shadow never influenced her in the slightest. Everything thus far has been by her hand and hers alone. This thing is only her fears taken shape claiming victory. An illusion. The shadow sensed her dismissal of his decree and snickered, sending chills down her spine. Fingers like a snake's coils wrapped to her shoulders. Alirah cursed herself for insulting Hiano just now. "Tell me something, Alirah. How do you think it was possible for a six year old to hold her own against her big brother that night in the square? Hub?" Xehanort, in the guise of Terra, attacked Alirah, trying to choke the life out of her. But they wasn't her inner mancer. That was Hiano...wasn't it? "Or how about when Pete nearly died in that fountain? And think about that time with Aleus in Castle Oblivion? I don't think you could have eviscerated him so mercilessly had I not leant you a hand?" Her breath picked up. Her heart pounding in her chest. He was lying. Hiano helped her all those times. He snuck out, unlocked her hidden power, and-and saved her. Countless times. Horror then washed down her back. Hiano was sent into stasis around the time Lexaeus attacked. Her glossy eyes widened. _No...it's...it's not possible._ It has to have been Hiano. In some small way. The whole time it...it...it never was..."That's right." He purred in her ear. "It's all been me. The same way I aided you on the final floor of that wretched castle."

"No…" Alirah was thrust savagely in reverse, dropped into the Keyblade Graveyard arena that Castle of Memories trapped her in. Rocks, cliffs, and pits blemishing the earth. The thousands of keyblades erected from the dried, decayed soil like tombstones spanning for miles. And another shadow of Alirah's daunting past taken a form and will of his own, empowered by ranges of fear that grip her to this day. Ruthlessly did that shadow strive to prove her folly in continuing to fight. He pummeled her until the very notion to breathe brought on searing pain. The same way his former self had done when she was a child. He tormented her mercilessly, driving her to the brink and breaking her mentally. He mocked her for the losses she was too weak to prevent, he proved the strength he had even as a shadow was insurmountable compared to the candle wick she grasps at. She was left unconscious, robbed of her guardian and best friend, was almost killed by her boyfriend, and was haunted by the ghosts of her past...all to come face to face with the source of her trauma...and his defeat was by her own strength? This shadow that has taken on a will of its own...defeated him? "No way."

"Yes, Alirah. Little by little, for the past ten years, I've been chipping away at the barriers Hiano ushered you to put into place." _My eyes!_ Hiano screams at her when she uses her soul sight too often. Claiming she would go blind. What if blind was directed at her inner mancer. Her eyes widened in shock. _He knew about it?!_ Hiano knew about this shadow...and he never told her? "While he may have piggybacked in order to ensure you stayed within mental control," He smirked at her cringing when he touched a finger to her forehead. He meandered before her. "I was the one guiding your hand! Unleashing your full potential upon the fools who dared trifle with us!" Her foot slipped on a most root. She saved herself on her hands, rising while in a daze. "The seven morons you favored, the terror on their faces when you subdued the Unversed within the maw. ALL ME!"

"You're lying!" Alirah inadvertently shouted aloud. The Fairies cast glimpses to the girl trailing behind them. Lost in bothered thoughts she trudged. The light was dim in her eyes, emotion vacant from her cheeks, and her mouth stiffly moved. The girl was hiking with a pack heavier than she can support. Still she moved on. For one reason or another, that restlessness minded them of someone. In fact...a strong sense of familiarity crept to them. If it were merely her being Yensid's morally questionable granddaughter this troubling, guilt ridden, nagging feeling wouldn't be gnawing at them. Something about Alirah jumped at them. Like a long lost memory clawing to the surface, bringing with it...semi pleasant sensations. The know for a fact they've never met Alirah before. Only heard of her through Yensid and vice versa. So why do they feel as if they know her? "I would never have allowed-"

The shadow of Xehanort grasped her neck in an iron vice. Alirah was ripped off her feet, slammed viciously against a tree. Splinters dug in her back. Her lungs burned as the wind was robbed from her. The Fairies screamed shrilly, gaping in dismay at Alirah. Rippling mists of violet and black roared up her thrashing figure in a flare. She clawed at the unseen force suspending her several inches from the grass. Her feet kicking futilely to free herself. "YOU DON'T ALLOW ME ANYTHING, ALIRAH!" He boomed, forging at the mouth h at the affirm. As if a human can imprison him within such a meek and indecisive form. "I do what I wish WHEN I wish! My powers cannot be contained! Nor can they be controlled!" Least of all by child pretending to be a master. Aqua would be so disappointed in her. "You are nothing compared to me! And you are nothing without me! Here, at this castle, I will show you what it truly means to be a Necromancer!" His golden orbs began to glow, ushering Alirah's own golden eyes forth. "The shadows will reveal what they have hidden, and then you will finally succumb to your true desire." Chills scales her neck as he brought his lips to her ear. "The desire to cast misery and suffering to all."

"No…" She squeaked disheartened. She...she never wanted… but she did. That was her goal. "Come now. As if you can stand there and say you don't find a thrill in being condescending." The shadow finished my young with her. He vanished from her sight in a flurry and Alirah was dropped choking to her knees. She rubbed at her neck, still able to feel the iron grip pressing on the frail bones inside.

"Are you alright?!" Fauna rushed to her side, helping her up.

"I'm fine!" Alirah shoved her off. Fauna was hurt by the gesture. Flora and Merryweather didn't appreciate the act. Alirah caught her breath, motioning a hand for them to let her breathe a second. "I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle on my own. Whatever's coming from the mountain is trying to choke the life out of me." A lie that she won't feel bad about. Well, maybe Maleficent's energy will choke her for betraying her. _Can't exactly betray what I'm never loyal to._

"A powerful malevolence is pouring from Maleficent's castle, corrupting the mountains and neighboring lands." Flora educated with a ominous whirr. She, her sisters, and Alirah leered in revulsion. Rumbling jet black clouds steadily tainted the blue sky within the Dominion's borders. A thin line was noticed, as if a weakening barrier forbade Maleficent's evil from taking another inch. "The people of this land are suffering under it. Too scared to leave their homes."

"The darkness is being channeled somewhere in that castle." Alirah stated confidently. She senses the focal point from all the way in the forest. Maleficent's essence is soaked into it. "I'm willing to wager if we find it this _malevolence_ you mentioned should stop."

"We hope you're right." Merryweather mumbled, not very hopeful.

"I know I'm right. Maleficent left a contingency in the event she met her end."

"OH!" Fauna remembered something that made her beam. "Prince Philip and another nearly destroyed her years ago. She must have made it then."

Alirah pat them on the back, taking lead of the small caravan. Her grim expression hidden she mumbled, "Even in death that wretch won't relinquish her hold."

 **xxx**

 **(Agrabah)**

Riding bareback on a wyvern isn't the most insane thing Riku's done. But Hell was it the most exciting. And ventilated. The desert sun must be, on average, 130 degrees minimum. Blazing the sandy trail at mach speeds on a heartless dropped it to a nice 90 with a 10 mile an hour wind speed. "WOO-HOO!" He shouted with his hands in the air, leaning the heartless into barrel rolls, loops, and dives. To be frank, and unable to find the right words, this was awesome! The wind ripping through his hair, taking with it his worries, woes, and burdens. Everything he carried on his back in the ever growing pack was just falling on the wind funnel. It was amazing, and he didn't want it to end. "Alirah be jealous because the Hiano is now retired!" That snake can only dream of reaching these speeds. Too bad the ride was over.

Riku returned his hands to the scruff of the wyvern. Traces of the ruins passed below. Crumbling arches, shaved down pillars, broken remnants of a long lost society that is being swallowed by sand little by little each day. Not much left to begin with by the looks of it. Riku was taken aback in awe when what he thought would be a boring stretch of a bird's eye view of busted infrastructure plummeted miles into a massive, sloping chasm. Dunes of sand spilling to a hole constantly growing. Building long still and miraculously intact being buried and titling on their sides. By some unexplainable feat there was a traversable road throughout the chasm. Riku was speechless. An entire city gone to the sands, seemingly lost forever, just sitting here waiting to be completely devoured. Sounds familiar.

The ruins were larger than Riku anticipated. He didn't have the first clue where he would begin looking for Aladdin. Or if he was even still here. He was probably lost in the desert. Even locals have to get lost. Still he kept to the high ground and scoured for anyone remotely human. His best bet would be to look for heartless. They were drawn to Aladdin like flies to honey back then. "That's it!" Riku pet the wyvern. "Alright...Royce," The wyvern grunted confusedly at the name, "What? I can't name you?" It shrugged and bobbed its head, coming to accept the name. Not that he's been privileged to have a name before. "Anyway, I need you to sniff out a human! Wait, can you do that?" _Royce_ bobbed his head. His nostrils widened and closed, the dry sandy air entering. Hints of the decayed stone came on the wind. Traces of dead carcases triggered a gag reflex. Riku soothed him with a massage to the back. Then Royce gasped, sniffing the air animatedly, then snapping his nose in a direction. "Find him, Boy?"

Royce plunged into a 90 degree dive. Wings folded at his sides, the wind sucking him into a vortex, and the bottom approaching at a terrifying speed. Riku screamed as he felt himself slipping, hugging his full body in a panic to his back. He squeezed his stinging eyes closed, the moisture being dried. The ground swiftly approaching flashed his life before his eyes. Royce zoomed parallel to the cobblestone path, hugging those turns and zigzags so hard he actually tossed Riku off and ended up catching him half a mile down the road. He used to pay to go on rides like that. He darted his head left to right, trying his hardest to peer between the alleys and crevices of the lost city. So far he didn't see sign or hair of Aladdin. He caught a glimpse of a scimitar, but wasn't sure if it was Aladdin's or an abandoned relic. Royce was in such a hurry he nearly twisted his head off. As ironic as it is, Riku had to trust that a heartless knew where he was going. "Trusting heartless. Sora, you SO owe me huge for this later!"

The end of the chasm was in sight and still there was no sign of Aladdin. Riku was beginning the fear the worst. Either he left already...or the sand spilling inside buried him. "Ugh…" He shivered. He really doesn't want to tell Jasmine that. He should look a while longer. Preferably before he's buried himself. He has sand in places he didn't know existed. Now he knows how Iago feels.

"Whoa there, hold it!" Riku yanked on the scruff, guiding Royce to a halt. He gawked at the massive towering walls propped to either side of the crumbling chasm walls. A narrow passage was nestled in the center. Clear of sand and a direct path to a lonely tower. From where he hovered, he faintly saw the instability of the chasm worsening on the other side. He cupped palms at his ears, catching the static noise of falling sand. Reminds him of the hiss from Hollow-RADIANT Garden's rising falls. "Huh?" Riku spotted something at the entrance. It was a discarded scimitar. Brand new too. Riku scooped it up, finding Aladdin's initials on it. "Jackpot! We're on the right track! Head inside!" He thumped his feet on Royce's sides. The wyvern howled and charged in, coming out into the epicenter of one of the worst sinkholes either has seen. Mountains of sand just perpetually pouring and never filling the bottom. Heck, the bottom looked like a tossed vat of taffy.

Riku hummed intrigued by the tower sitting perfectly in the center. It wasn't swaying to either side like the other buildings, and it isn't anywhere near being buried. Almost as if the desert wants to preserve it for a time. That being said, something like this would draw an adventurer like Aladdin in like candy for a child. "Hmm…" Riku studied the sword and the tower cryptically, finding a hiccup in what would bring Aladdin this far in. "Okay...I've got a sword, a mysterious tower, and a missing adventurer." There are fresh abrasions on the sword, and the rampant footsteps he was able to make out suggest there was a fight. "You were ambushed here in the ruins. You fought hard, and then…" He placed a hand at his brow like a visor. At the passage were more footprints. A closer look revealed the widened space in the stride, telling him that Aladdin broke into a run. "With nowhere else to go you ran in here...and you saw this tower. But without Carpet or Genie there was no way for you to make it." That being said, logically, Aladdin would have departed. "I didn't see a horse, and your prints don't leave. That means…" Horror gripped Riku as he looked down. At first he saw nothing, fearing the worst. "OH! THERE!" On a lone slab protruding from the falling wall of sand. Hook bat and Fortuneteller Heartless dealt glancing blows to a quickly tiring Aladdin. "GO, ROYCE!" Down they went, Riku pleading for him to hurry.

Defenseless without his sword he was dodging for his life, coaxing the heartless into striking each other. A hook bat fumbled into another hook bat, and a fortuneteller would accidentally hit the other with a spell. The numbers were dwindling, but so was Aladdin's strength. Heartless aren't brilliant, but they were catching on to him and were getting awfully close to knocking him off the ledge. Aladdin's lungs burned hotter than the sand. His muscles weighed heavier than barrows of gold and jewels. He stubbornly stomped his gelatinous legs, screaming at himself to keep fighting. "Got to...find...way...out...GRAH!" He used to have perfect aim throwing rocks at the heartless. He was exhausted and becoming sloppy, not to mention running low on rocks. "AH!" He jumped forward, sand pouring onto him. Then his foot slipped off the ledge. The sands fell in slow motion, the world tilting on its side. "AAHHH…" He screamed. He fell from the slab, flipping about as he scrambled to grab hold of anything. The pit was closing around him. The sandy wall getting closer. Aladdin saw a bar coming up fast. "One last hope!" He took the rope and grapple and tossed it. It tied and hooked to the bar. Aladdin was thrust into a harrowing swing, being flung practically as high as from where he fell. Aladdin reached for a part of the tower, finger brushing over the red stone, and flipped right past it. The grapple broke from the bar, leaving Aladdin falling to his doom again. "JASSMMIIN!" Would be his final cry in hopes she would hear him.

Then, just as he resigned to his plummet, Riku swooped underneath, catching him with an arm around the waist. "GOTCHA!" He tossed the hyperventilating street rat onto Royce's back on his stomach. "Nice one, Royce! Now get us out of here!" He didn't have to tell him twice. Royce paddled his razor sharp talon, adjusting to the new weight and darting for the path out.

Aladdin direly strained from a single breath, every nerve buzzing as if camels were stomped on him. He wrapped his arms tightly to Riku who had to pretend it was Alirah in order to ignore the full body at his back. "I know...I should be grateful...but who are you?!" He demanded. His voice cracked. "And why are we riding a heartless?!"

"To your second question, we're riding _Royce_ here because he's helping me!" Royce winked at the shocked street rat. "As for who I am - well…" How does he put this gently? He took a deep breath, "I'm the guy that abducted your girlfriend so she could act as a conduit to help the mistress of all evil open a door to eternal darkness." He released the breath, feeling a load off his shoulder.

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" That outburst brought on a fit off coughs. Riku handed him a canteen. He guzzled the water in seconds. "You're the guy she talked about! The one with that girl that was helping Jafar?!" He'll never forget that red eyed monster.

"Technically she wasn't helping him. She tricked him into using his wishes and then turned him into a Genie so we could get rid of him and those he worked with." Man oh man, all of this confessing was really twisting Riku up inside. He feels like he's at a confessional in a church. "Brr…"

"I don't care what the reasons were!" Royce yelped at Aladdin slapping a hand on him. "You and that girl took everything from me that day! Do you have any idea how scared I was I'd never have the woman I love back?!" Riku sank miserably. He knows that feeling now. "I should throw you into this pit right now!" If such a horrendous thing was in someone like him.

Riku brow knit sharply. Royce's exit was blocked by the very heartless that tried to knock Aladdin into the sink hole. Joining them were a red nocturne, blue rhapsody, and yellow operas. "Toss me later! We've got company!" He fined his hand like a knife, swiping out to the side. Dark mist spiraled in a braid down his arm, six orbs appearing in an arch over his head. Aladdin gawked in awe of the criss crossing storm brewing within the dark orbs. A nocturne, rhapsody, opera, and hook bat charged. Riku thrust his hand. The orbs rockets like stars through the sky, exploding on contact and return the heartless to the darkness. Fortunetellers used the shroud of smoke to launch surprise attacks from the crystal balls they danced on. Aladdin and Royce braced for impact. "SHIELD!" Riku crossed his forearms. Half a sphere materialized, dispersing the icy blasts to glittering shards. Riku had a stroke of genius and hoped he's capable of the same magic as Alirah. He took some ice in his mouth, lapping the icy shards. " _Yami no kazu blizzaga!"_ His cerulean eyes glowed icy blue. Swells of air inserted his puckered lips. A purest blue filled his mouth. Fortuneteller and Rhapsody flinched at the austere glare locked to them. Riku leapt to his feet and blew with all his might. A howling blizzard of ice darts and snow shredded clean through the so called heartless, tattering them to ribbons as they vanished into the realm of darkness. "COOL!" He heaved. Now if he can move that to his hands he'd be in business. "Royce, go!" The way was clear. Royce sped past the thinning army of heartless, send them spinning like tops. Stars circled their dizzy heads. Unbeknownst to them they had drifted too close to the sand wall and were sucked in, never to be seen again. At least until the next time.

Leaving those ruins behind relieved Aladdin and Riku to the brink of napping on Royce. Heck, they just might. Agrabah was a ways off, they could use the nap. "That...was close…" Aladdin panted. He thinks he shaved off ten inches from his waistline to his abs.

"Glad you're still in one piece." Riku remarked.

"Wouldn't be if you hadn't come along. But that doesn't mean I forgive you."

"Wasn't expecting you to." Again, it'd be too easy if that won him over. "What were you doing all the way out here anyway?"

"Jasmine and I have been restoring Agrabah and were above schedule. So I decided to go off adventuring to see what I can find." He turned to the ruins that were disappearing in the distance. "I found these old ruins by pure accident once and wanted to explore them. I was attacked by heartless and well…" Riku knows the rest.

"You've been trapped in there with no way back." Riku gasped. He's held out this long? That's someone Jasmine would never find in this lifetime again. Aladdin groaned in self loathing. He must have had Jasmine worried sick. "Good thing Jasmine is so sharp." Aladdin brightened at her name. "If she hadn't asked, I probably wouldn't have even known you were gone. I'm glad I made it."

"Jasmine...sent you?" She sent the boy who kidnapped her. "Why would she do that? And why are you even here?"

"A long story I'll tell once we're back at the-huh?" Riku and Aladdin were baffled by a strange artifact up ahead. A stainless steel arch literally smack dab in the middle of the desert glimmer off the smouldering sun. "Um...has that always been there?"

"I don't...think so?" Aladdin scratched his skull. "It doesn't look familiar." And he's a local. Riku's seen too much and been through too much to trust stray objects. He veered Royce off course, staying as far away from the suspicious arch as possible. The arch...started to rumble. As if it sensed Riku and Aladdin running from it. The metals clattered, and the arch unfanned in two. "WHAT THE-" Aladdin cried. The arch now resembled scimitars. Four booms erupted from the sand. Behemoth mechanical hands sprouted and grasped at the surface. A smoke screen of sand exploded, spanning far and wide. Riku hated the looks of that so urged Royce to go faster. There was this shift beside them, a torrent of wind and sand send Royce, Aladdin, and Riku flipping out of control. Suddenly this large hand sucker punched them into a rebound. Royce was cast back into darkness, while Riku and Aladdin made a not so soft crash landing into the sand. "Ugh...now what?" Aladdin sickly moaned.

"We're about to find out!" Riku pointed at the clearing sand cloud. Six arms adorned by white sleeves trimmed in gold emerged. Two of the hands weidling not scimitars, but Khopesh blades beat back the cloud. The fangs to a mechanical cobra head were dripping in saliva. The flap of the arabian tunic decorated by the heartless emblem wafted in the desert air. A shrill roar from the heartless known as Kurt Zisa quaked the desert.

"KURT ZISA?! WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?!" Riku cried.

 **xxx**

 **(Enchanted Dominion)**

The soft trodding of grass beneath Alirah's boot became the coarse crunching of barren, despondent charcoal rock. The Fairies were forced to pause and catch their breath once they left the Dominion's borders. Their saintly forms gradually siphoned of their healthy glow, paling them to the ghoul which will haunt the domain of Maleficent. Alirah remained strong in the face of this environment is hostile effects. If anything, she was breathing in newfound strength and stamina. The blood pumping fervently in her veins, and this overwhelming itch to cackle malevolently making her shiver. The Forbidden Mountain are not forgiving to those faint of will. The fresh forest air of pine, nuts, and dew blissful to the lung was tainted by the ashen clouds blanketing the sky in a smog, polluting the horrid mountains before The Fairies and Alirah with death and decay. An apocalyptic realm cast eternally in shadow. The cliffs steep and plummeting into an abyss of toxic fog. Jagged spiked formations as for as the eye could see. The green tint amid the blackness in the sky did not go unnoticed. Green is Maleficent's trademark color. Proof that, even in oblivion, he hold on her land remains well fortified.

"I'd forgotten how depressing this place is." Alirah dismissively kicked at the dirt. She hasn't been here since she was first recruited by Maleficent. To think that witch lived next door to Aurora. What hasn't slipped her mind, however, is the evil permeating from every single pebble. She wondered how The Fairies could stand being here. "Hm? What's that?"

"What's what?" Fauna approached.

"In the castle windows. I saw a light." Sure enough, torch light was passing by the windows. They'd start at the bottom, then teleport to the third, a couple meandered the walls. "Are there people inside?"

"I am afraid not." Flora unknowingly stayed behind Alirah, hugging to her shoulders to make her a shield from this evil. "The Forbidden Mountain is said to resonate with the spirits of those who have entered. Their voices can be heard. Their struggles waging. Often are lights seen. A sign of those who never escaped." Alirah remembers hearing those voices a while back. Disembodied voices from Maleficent's victims. _Sounds like a bad tourist attraction._ Alirah studied the lights closely. How they traversed the palace in seconds fascinated her. One of them shimmered more brightly than the others at the tallest tower's window. "Huh?" Alirah squinted to focus. The light was getting brighter. Suddenly it came shooting out in a stream. The Fairies didn't so much as twitch as it was passing over their heads. The light was blinding but Alirah couldn't look away. For within the light...she saw a heart. A heart of the purest...purest...familiar light. "Aurora?" ' _Sleeping Aurora...a boy with a key...Maleficent towering over the boy._ ' "AGH!" The images split her skull in searing hot pain. Alirah held her head disoriented. Flora steadied her. Her breath was taken right out of her. "What was...why did...Ven?"

"Alirah? Are you alright?" Flora fretted.

"You guys saw that right?! That light just now!" They had to have seen it. It practically lit up the mountain.

"We see the lights in the castle." Merryweather gestured.

"NOT THE CASTLE!" Alirah startled her by shaking her by the shoulders. "The light that passed by us! The one with the heart in it!"

"What...what light?!" Merryweather and Fauna wrestled her off. "There was no light! And it didn't have a heart in it!" She hissed.

Alirah's been through too much to say she was hallucinating. That light was a heart. And it brought on these...images. She saw Aurora. She was sleeping. And Maleficent...and...and Ven! _Why would I see Ven after that light?_ She pondered that a moment. This is exactly what happened back at Aurora's castle. She heard someone scream...and she heard Ven. _Is it...are my powers doing this?_ While seeing flashes in her mind is a red flag, she diverted to her main reason for coming back to Aurora's home was because this is where her journey began with Terra. This is also where Aqua and Ven met Maleficent. So maybe...just maybe. "Years ago, there were three friends of mine who came here. They all had keyblades." Alirah summoned Oblivion, holding it out so they would absorb its shape, it's style, and unlock the memories nestled in their minds. "I know you didn't meet my brother, but you had to have seen two others. You may not remember their faces, but the keyblades...you have to remember…" She prayed.

The Fairies were captured in a spell by the keyblade. From hilt to tip their grazes caressed it. To hand wielding it their gaze traveled, wandering to Alirah's steadfast and undeterred figure. The fiery spirit of youth wafting from her. An unyielding determination to face down the monsters that lurk. "YES!" Flora gasped. Fauna and Merryweather were struck by the same nostalgic bolt. "Years ago, there were others who wielded the same weapon as you who ventured into her home." They saw them clear as day. "A young man with brownish blond hair, and young woman with blue hair. Oh what were their names?!"

"Ven and Aqua."

"Ven and Aqua?" The fairies beamed. Yes, those names. That was their names,and they are also ones who carried burdens on their backs. Alirah's keyblade effectively unlocked the memory nesting in the recesses of her mind. "Wait a moment…" Flora hovered closely, circling Alirah with cryptically hardened stares studying her. Alirah shied from her closeness, flinching whenever Flora poked her or lifting her arm. The fairy clapped hands to her cheeks, almost twisting her head off dragging her in. Flora became mesmerized by her eyes. "Oh my! So it IS you! Dears, we were right, this is the young girl they were searching for!" Alirah gasped for air being released from Flora's vice. Merryweather and Fauna fussed giddily, clasping each other's hand in a dance. "Ventus and Aqua - We've never met a pair who lit brighter than a star when they spoke of a friend." And now Flora knows why Terra's name was so familiar! Aqua and Ven defended Terra's honor to their last breath when Maleficent accused him of surrendering to the darkness. To think it's been Alirah this whole time whom those three cherished so.

"So you do know them!" Now she's getting somewhere. "Were they inside the Forbidden Mountain?"

"Yes and they scoured this world and others looking for you and the young man known as Terra."

"They said there was no need to worry since you were with Terra. Apparently you keep him honest." Fauna giggled, thinking it meant he was a trouble maker.

"Ven and Aqua...talked about me?" She blushed.

"More than that." Flora gently placed her hands to Alirah's cheeks. Glossy warmth radiated in her eyes, "They said their greatest fear would be never seeing you or the boy named Terra again." Proof! Right there! Flora's words prove how strongly Ven, Aqua, and Terra's hearts were bound. "How are they these days?"

"They...they disappeared a few years ago." Her shoulders fell. "I haven't seen them since now I was six."

Flora released her hands, overcome with guilt. "Our apologies. We didn't know." Fauna and Merryweather nervously fiddled with their hands and skirts.

"That's alright." After nearly ten years...it becomes easier to talk about. "Their disappearance is what sparked my age of tyranny. They were my conscience and moral compass." She gazed at her palm, able to see every sin engraved in the flesh beneath the glove. "When they disappeared...I didn't care who I hurt as long as I got them back." She closed that hand, no closer to having her friend back than she was back then.

"Do you truly believe they'd approved cruelty as a means of finding them?" Fauna scolded her.

"No. But as I said, I didn't care as long as I got them back." And get them back she will. She marched up the slope, glaring down the halls that have the answers she seeks. That heart in the sky was the second oddity to strike her since she arrived. Seeing Ven, Maleficent, and a sleeping Aurora are only pieces to a larger puzzle. "I'm following in their footsteps to discover what caused them to vanish." The darkness which stalked them absconded with them. And if Alirah must reach inside it - nay, thrust herself into its embrace - to get them back, she will allow her inner mancer to consume her now. The day they return, they will want to know what she's been up to. Regardless of the end result, she will not sway from the smallest detail. From age six to whatever age she finally gets them back, she will tell them everything. "I'll deal with the repercussions later."

 **To be continued.**

 **Hey guys, I want your opinion on something. There are worlds we haven't seen in a few games. Tarzan, Pinocchios, Winnie the Pooh, Tron, and so on. If you guys like I can put them in. I'm keeping the main worlds for sure. But I'm debating keeping Monstro, Pinocchio's actual home, Winnie the Pooh, and Tarzan. I'll likely do Pooh for a laugh.**


	13. The First Step

**The First Step**

 **Moving on.**

 **xxx**

 **(Enchanted Dominion)**

The drawbridge was left wide open. The crank controls rooted forever in place by cakes of the unforgiven elements. Alirah's nerves spiked at the pops and snaps of the aged wood. Crossing the portcullis, taking that last step through the arch was not unlike passing the threshold into the realm of darkness. Alirah paused in nauseated nostalgia of the thick, suffocating wall that hits her when she enters this castle. The deathly eyes suffused in the multi millions of cracks constantly following your every move, never parting from you back, front, or side. The whispers that puff at your ear, the laughter echoing in your mind, and the foreboding sense of a presence walking in your shadow. The ghosting brush of the dragon fairy's talons at your back. Those palms teasing to squeeze you dry but never delivering the finishing blow. The evil that permeates from this place drenches the skin to the bones to the marrow. Thick, coagulated sweat drenching to her in globs, dragging her atrophying stamina to her know aching legs. She felt like a block of lead moving through tar.

"Grr…my head." Alirah was disoriented by the oppressive energy. She's starting to remember why she hasn't been back here in over a year. Walking these dank, stark corridors is a trail. The Realm of Darkness was a trip to candyland compared to this. The bright side, Maleficent's disappearance significantly impacted the security her fortress was infamous for. The castle is old, but one would think after a decade Maleficent would hire someone to refurbish and renovate the place. Ha! Maybe Aurora can petition to have it demolished. "Three turns down...another hundred to go." The castle hasn't changed much. Aside from the obvious looting. Old tapestries were missing, voids in their place. Maleficent's throne room was picked clean. Drag marks from the obviously more heavy items were fresh in the stone. "No wonder...spirits are pissed…" She grunted in broken speech. "I'd be...mad to...if someone robbed me." At least this left less to inspect for what's causing this mania. If she's being honest, Alirah hadn't the foggiest where to begin searching for this... _Maleficent Channeling Object._ If she had, this would be done and over with by now. And that's if it even was an object. For all she knows the castle really is just haunted. No surprise really. As a necromancer since childhood, Alirah's come across dozens of haunted locations. Places corrupted by malice, or unrequited lovers who perished, or even the typical spirit who felt unaccomplished in real life. Scenarios all moot. The castle is miles wide and just as long...and growing...larger...by the...

"Ugh…" The whole entrance tunnel spinning like a top. Her vision blurred in an out of focus. On their own whim her eyes flared bright gold. A green orb leading Aurora past from side to side. Ven...and then Aqua...darted past her. "What...in...Huuh…" And Alirah crumbled to her knees, scraping her elbows on a clumsy save.

"Alirah?!" The Fairies cried, diving to her side. Alirah clutched at her neck, dry heaving in desperation for air. Pressure was mounting in her head. She couldn't get up. Her spine ached at the slightest twitch. She was going pale. Her chest was tightening. "Get her outside! Quickly!" The Fairies rushed her to the nearest staircase. Flora and Fauna carrying her by the arms, with Merryweather trying not to drag her feet. She was heavier than she looked.

Images - or flashes of events repetitively playing in these hallowed halls - bombarded Alirah's vision. ' _The Fairies...racing in a panic, screaming a name too muffled to make out. That green orb…'_ She knows that orb. ' _It was floating in a hypnotic rhythm. A girl appeared. The blue dress she wore was gorgeous. Her long sunshine...hair._ ' Aurora? What's she doing at the castle? Why is she following that orb? No! She can't follow it! It's dangerous! ' _The ord transformed...a spinning wheel...with a sharp on the end. Aurora's hand...was reaching for it._ ' She shouldn't touch that! But...why? **"** _ **Touch the spindle. Touch it I say."**_ The command rumbled in her mind. Like a dull hum of hummingbird wings. "Maleficent?" She mumbled incoherently. ' _Aurora's finger drawing closer.'_ Alirah's own hand moved with her. ' _The Fairies scampered up a spiral staircase, crying out to Aurora…'_ Her head shakily rose, and her drying lips moving, "R...Ro...se…don't...touch...anything..." The Fairies maintained their rampant pace but nearly tripped at her uttering the warning. She was passing out in their arms, prompting them to hurry.

A wooden door nearly smashed to splinters being kicked open. The moment the fresh air - a term used extraordinarily loosely - touched Alirah she came to. "Ow...my head…" She massaged the ball of her palm to her throbbing forehead. The air outside wasn't any better than inside the castle, but at least Alirah felt like she can breathe without restrictions. "Where are we?"

"The east wall." Merryweather answered. She checked Alirah's forehead for a fever, shined a light from her wand to in her eyes, and tested her breathing. She was fine for the most part. "You collapsed and we carried you outside."

It was coming back to her through the relentless throbbing. She was...hearing voices, saw people running through the halls. Aurora...Aurora was there but...the name called wasn't hers. What was that name? It was on the tip of her tongue. "Who's...Rose?" The name rolled off with a familiar taste. The Fairies exchanged aghast stares, mildly elated by the name. Alirah didn't need her golden gaze to know that name was precious to them.

"That was our name to Princess Aurora." Fauna elucidated enamoured. She balled up her green cape, holding it to her tender bosom as if it were a baby. A tear came down her cheek, worrying Alirah. Merryweather and Flora started to cry next. Alirah concerned stare begged them to explain. Fauna needed to mentally prepare herself. This was...a heartbreaking topic. "Maleficent placed a curse upon a baby Aurora that she would prick her finger on her 16th birthday on a spinning wheel's spindle and would...die."

Alirah gasped with wide eyes. The images of Aurora following that orb...it became a spindle...and she pricked her finger. The Fairies screaming _don't touch anything..._ it makes sense. "When I was here as a kid…" Aurora was dead asleep. "Is that why she was asleep?!"

"That is correct…" Flora mumbled with a hoarse tone. "We raised her in her parents stead to protect her from Maleficent. We failed, and only true love's kiss would awaken her."

"Prince Philip." Alirah knows of him. Maleficent spoke disdainfully and in gory details of him. Hell, if she wasn't with Riku and Aurora hadn't married him, Alirah would have taken Philip. "Rose. That's a beautiful name. Just like her." She swooned.

"How did you know that name?" Merryweather asked defensively.

"Before...I heard you. I...I saw you." She drilled knuckles to her temples. The Fairies ogled her strangely. "I...I don't know how to explain it. These images and sounds were flashing through my mind. Aurora she...she was following this orb. There was…a spindle...in a high tower. The Fairies gasped, taken aback. "You didn't want her to touch it. And...I told her...don't touch anything."

"That was moments before we discovered she had succumbed to Maleficent's curse." Merryweather shook her head. "That was at the castle when we brought her home."

"But that...that was ten years ago. And long before you or your friends ever came to our world." Fauna stressed. And it wasn't here at this castle. Aurora was taken in by the spell at her home. Then Fauna recalled something. Aurora's heart was trapped in these halls. So what she's seeing is...from that. But how is she seeing it? "Dear, how you came to know this...is that why you collapsed?" She asked tenderly.

"I don't…know..." Alirah had turned her head. She sensed something close by, and her jaw hit the floor. "Maleficent?!" She screamed. The Fairies whipped to where she gazed and cried out in fright. There, standing at the top of small steps of the wall, a dark figure said to haunt this land, was none other than Maleficent herself. Those damnable green eyes piercing the darkness, bent horns sharp enough to shred the blackened skies asunder, and her profusely flowing cloak belying the dragon hiding within. A smile peeked to her lips, shooting bolts from the blue straight in Alirah and The Fairies. "This is impossible!" Alirah darted right back onto her feet. The Fairies were startled by her recovery, and the darkness pouring from her. Suddenly Fauna was gripped by an epiphany. Rage, hatred, grief, and this overwhelming craving for blood filled Alirah. "Sora killed you! Riku and I saw it for ourselves! You can't be here!" And if she is, Alirah will take the pleasure of ending that wretched woman herself. Maleficent astonished them all by turning her back to them. She meandered to the other side of a sentry tower, the taps of her staff striking stone like lightning. "GET BACK HERE!"

"ALIRAH! COME BACK!" The Fairies pleaded, flying as fast as they could after the rampaging child. Alirah would have knocked the tower off the wall in her current state. She was frothing at the mouth, growling rabidly at Maleficent taunting her from the opposite end a tunnel. Black ice shards appeared in Alirah's clawed palm. Icy torpedoes launched. Maleficent stood there and smiled. Snow fog blanketed the tunnel as they torpedoes hit their mark. The Fairies yelped at the frigid gust washing over them. When the fog cleared, Alirah and The Fairies were astonished by the empty space where the witch once stood. "She's gone!" Fauna cried.

 _She never should have been back!_ Alirah frothed mentally. She summoned her keyblade and charged through the tunnel. She stopped abruptly on the other side, forgetting all about Maleficent and becoming enthralled by the statue of a familiar looking raven. "Hey that's…" The Fairies came through as Alirah studied the statue.

"Where...where's Maleficent?!" Fauna huffed out of breath.

"She was never here." Alirah groaned with a irritated smile on her face. "That old bat did us in with an illusion." Now she knows she's seeing ghosts. Alirah ran her hands over the raven statues, detecting a strong life energy seeping into her fingertips. "What was your name again?"

"Diablo!" Merryweather snarled.

"That's his name! You know him?" Alirah arched a brow.

"I was the one who turned him to stone years ago! Could he be the cause of all this?"

"I don't think so." Alirah curled a hand under her chin. She startled The Fairies trading to her golden eyes. A powerful energy WAS coming from Diablo. But in this case it's nothing more than a powerful urge to live. _Poor guy. He's been consciously aware of his imprisonment for a decade._ She shuddered at the agony. "Diablo was nothing more than a familiar for Maleficent. I doubt he's doing this." Then a thought came to her. The energy. _Diablo..._ "Merryweather, when you turned him to stone was he meant to be conscious?"

"No. It's...it's similar to a coma state from which he'll never wake." She made herself shiver. Alirha pursed her lips at the slight double standard. _Pretty dark for a good fairy._ "Why are you asking?"

Alirah knocked on him, "Diablo here is wide awake. And I dare say he's perfectly aware of what's going on." She sneered at the forever frozen raven. She huffed angrily from her nostrils. As aggravating as it is to admit, it isn't a coincidence that - after being hauled outside here - Maleficent's ghost materialized and led them to her frozen bird. "That miserable, clever, and devious old croon. She wants us to release her bird."

"She what?" Flora arched a skeptical brow.

"How do you know that?" Fauna quizzed.

"This all can't be because of a bird!" Merryweather hissed.

"Don't be too sure." Alirah wagged a finger, winking impishly. "We sorcerers of the night love our pets." She was sad when she felt an empty place in her pocket. "Should something ever rob us from this mortal coil, our animals are all that will tie us to this plane."

"But why now?" Merryweather pressed. "You said he isn't the one channeling the evil here! Why is he so important?"

"I don't know." Alirah took a couple steps back. "It could all be a trap for all we know." She aligned Oblivion with the raven. "But it's the only one not sprung by looters, soldiers, and the like." Her golden gaze hardened as the flames of his soul exploded into an inferno. "Maleficent wouldn't have appeared before us without reason." Traces of his auburn soul laced to the blade, beckoning to her. At the tips of those embers...green sparks punctured to view. "And I've known that witch too long to doubt she'd start now."

The Fairies weren't entirely convinced based on the fact that Diablo was an animal. But, when they think back, Diablo was her trusted companion. Her eyes, ears, alert to intruders, and confidant. She'd never travel far or anywhere without him. He's the reason she knew where to find Aurora in the first place. The Fairies nodded to one another, coming to a decision. "Alright…" Flora acquiesced with the grace of her sisters. "Merryweather…"

The blue fairy really didn't want to do this. She likes leaving that contemptible bird as an ornament. But if it helps the land rest easier at night. Alirah stuck Diablo's back with her key tip then stepped off to the side. "Why do I get the feeling I'll regret this later?" Alirah muttered to herself.

Merryweather grudgingly tapped the raven with her wand. Glowing cracks chiseled at his stone skin, shattering apart in a blinding light. The bird's yawn escalated to a piercing howl, his wings and legs stretching after 10,000 years confinement. An exaggeration, but it gave him such a crick in the neck. He shook off his molting feathers, swearing in his birdy trills to make that blue fairy pay for what she's done. When he veered around, his beak came in contact with Merryweather's nose. She growled animally at him. The raven yelped, then flew into the air, casting a fit of squawks in every direction.

"She's dead, Diablo!" Alirah howled with a sweep of her hand. Diablo gaped and sneered at her, finding it impossible that his master was dead. "She's been dead for a while! And she won't be coming back this time!" Diablo's feathers ruffled with abject hatred for the girl and her fairy friends. Kill his master will they. Well he has the perfect divine retribution for this motley crew. Diablo took in a long gut to chest breath, holding it in until he was blue in the face. "Uh-oh." Alirah grimaced.

" _CCAAWW..._ " The screeching call quaked the very castle to it's darkest corners. Years of vines, caked on molds, and the stones themselves shook loose under his cry. The Fairies and Alirah clamped hands over their ears in vain. The shrill cry of the raven pierced their ears to the drum, scrambling their brains. Wyvern, Lance Soldier, and Gargoyle heartless surrounded them.

"I don't suppose you three fight." Asked and answered by the very disapproving glares. They directed her attention to the halos they are proud to wear upon their heads. Figurative, but they are so irritatingly honest and pure that it might as well be literal. "Yeah. Didn't think so." Diablo chortled at their hopeless situation, then took off to the castle towers, ducking inside one of the windows. "That's right…" Alirah crooned, standing at the ready. "Go to your master." While she does some much needed house cleaning. _Seriously, I bet Riku's having a walk in the park right now._

 **xxx**

 **(Agrabah)**

"RUN FOR IT, MAN!"

"I'M TRYING!"

Aladdin and Riku were drying out like prunes scrambling in their sprint. The worst part about running for you life in sand is that years of storm masked sink holes that never solidified. Aladdin sank waste deep clamoring to climb a dune. Riku managed to wrench him free, only to have half his leg sink and dragged Aladdin with him on a tumble down the hill. It was a heck of a lot steeper on the other side. Farther down too. Seconds after their harrowing tumble began, the peak of the deceptive dune exploded into a thick cloud of dust. Kurt Zisa, an Emblem Heartless that escaped from the final door in Hollow Bastion, was hot on their tails. He set his khopesh flying. Riku and Aladdin partially buried themselves, losing half their lives to the strands of hair cleanly severe from their heads. The heartless was not without a sick sense of humor. He'd purposefully graze a hair's length from his panicked quarry's backs, or pretended to miss slicing the tendons in their and Aladdin shifted their bodies, managing to skip like pebbles across a pond. Jagged protruding boulders were on a painful head on collision course. Aladdin dug in his sword, maneuvering past the large boulders and laughing in the distance he was gaining from the hilltop. Riku rode the crumbling hill on his feet and hands, guiding himself safely past the boulders and wearing the fingers out on his gloves. The solid bottom literally tripped them up, bringing them to a stumble with faces full of dirt. They quickly picked themselves up They were not getting anywhere fast. Neither of them were sure if they were even heading in the right direction. Without Royce to give them a ride...they were up the Nile without any paddles.

"Of all the guys to be here, it had to be Kurt Zisa!" Riku frothed.

"You know that thing?" Aladdin's voice cracked.

"It's a megalo Lord Heartless that's created by the environment in which it chooses to live!" Kurt Zisa obviously adores the Arabian motifs. And Royce was destroyed so they're on their own for now. "The last time I saw this guy was back where we held Jasmine! He was hiding in the caverns!" Ansem gave himself a tour, and lo and behold who they found.

"Great!" Aladdin grained. _If we can just reach that ridge there._ Ahead is a portion of desert that drops into an old gorge. Aladdin's semi daily travels through the desert left a map engraved in his mind. A terrain advantage should be on the other side of that hill. "How did he make it here?"

"Good question! I'm the wrong one to answer." He mumbled ashamed. "If I had to guess, the final door Jasmine was forced to unlock set him free, and he followed the opened trails to here." Incidentally, Kurt Zisa could have picked anywhere to come, but he chose Agrabah. And given the ensemble he chose, Riku can venture another guess. "He's likely drawn to the powerful magic coming Jafar who stuck in his lamp somewhere."

"He's looking for Jafar?!"

"And he's a few miles and several traveling incidents off that way!" Aladdin arched a suspicious brow. "I ran into him along the way. He fell down a hole."

"WHOA!"

Speaking of holes, Aladdin darted in front of Riku and shoved him to an abrupt halt. He fell on his rump hard, growling impatiently. The boy's complexion paled with ornamental tears dangling. If Agrabah had folders they'd be turning tail and running for their lives. A remarkably deep slope didn't come close to descending a fraction inside another of the deserts chasms. At the very bottom, too thin to proper make out, there appeared to be a body of water. Riku's been to daring heights before, but right now his stomach wasn't there for him. Pillars chipped away by years of storms scaling high and low, curved and overhanging cliffsides tangled within one another, and ledges that didn't look strong enough to support a squirrel. The wind guided inside the chasm made funnels resounded like disembodied moans. Chills scaled Riku's spine.

"LOOK OUT!" Aladdin cried. He and Riku dove to the ledge. Kurt Zisa landed before them with a thunderous _BOOM_. He roared to the skies. A twirl of his blades shrilly sharpened their already pristine edges on the coarse silicate. His cobra head unreeled itself, jaws snapping at the feet of the boys, skipping them closer to their falls. "We have to stop this thing! If he reaches Agrabah…"

"He won't! LET'S TAKE HIM!" Riku summoned Souleater. He rapidly flourished the blade. Darkness flocked to it, the streams gracefully twirling like streamers. He twisted half his body back. The darkness channeling to Souleater reached its zenith.

Kurt Zisa poised himself to dodge, or deflect the prepped attack. With all those arms he can do both and more. Riku astonished the ogling masses when he impaled Souleater in the ground. Aladdin was baffled by his choice. Riku smirk and bellowed, " _Dark earth shaker!"_ The darkness drain into the canals of the cracked terrain, racing the crevices for the underbelly of the mighty emblem heartless. An ultraviolet glow illuminated the heartless, tracing his massive figure and reflecting off his intimidating warrior blades. With a warish roar Riku ripped Souleater free. The ground ruptured to the decayed roots beneath, jagged and gnarled violet-black spikes erupting right under him. Kurt Zisa pushed off ground last second. His cloth taking the worst brunt of the grazes, shredding to ribbons as he took to the skies. He growled humiliated by his meager strike. Four of his arms stretched diagonally out, his swords crossing at his chest. A large spellbinding pentagram materialized parallel to his towering form, six brimming orbs amassing and orbiting him. The pentagram split and shrank to two of his palms, ushering the orbs to conjoin at their place. Aladdin and Riku waited for the worst, when all that happened were these sphere spanned at their torsos. Riku considered it a failed attempt and went to launch a wind spell. Not even a breeze came to him. Riku tried again with his dark fire blast. Nothing. Not even the earth shaker he used was working. Suddenly it dawned on him. He touched the spheres Zisa put on him.

"Magic blockers!" He read about them in the Hollow Bastian Library.

"That's not good, right?"

"Nope! JUMP" Riku kicked on the cliff's edge, launching to a pillar yards away. He ricocheted off one pillar to the next, running Souleater across the stone and hanging off the side. Aladdin plugged his nose and leapt into the gorge. He pierced the solid rock with his sword and rode the wall to a safe landing. He always has a spare sword. What he doesn't have are Riku's inhuman abilities. He's never been so jealous.

Kurt Zisa took a grand interest in the younger boy. No doubt the darkness coming from Riku was like a treat to him. He traversed the gorge in an effortless stride for him, stomping from one pillar to a cliff to another. He flourished his khopesh blades. Razor edged pinwheels running deep gashes in solid stone. He twisted left to right,swing his rapidly spinning blades. Riku skipped backwards, weaving side to side. Souleater rang out in agony, on the verge of shattering deflecting the massive blades. The muscles in Riku's arms reverberated under the ringing trauma shocking them numb. Reminds him of Lexaeus. That blow to his ribs was coming back. Kurt Zisa raised those sword hands above his head, bringing them down. Riku bent back, placing his hands to ledge and flipped off the side and to a drop inside the gorge, landing to a narrow ledge. Riku wiped sweat from his brow, taking a relieved breath. "That were any closer I'd be sporting a crew cut." And he's quite fond of his long locks.

The emblem heartless roared heatedly, forcing his arms inside in an attempt to grab the boy. The chasm quaked under his rampant digging. Pillars breaking at their shafts and crumbling to the abyss below. Kurt Zisa went so far as to rip chunks of rock, tossing them about. A camel eating a fresh patch of grass was unphased by the boulder crashing inches from him. He huffed and went back to eating. Riku crouched as low as he could, nerves jumping by the brushes of hair Zisa narrowly missed clenching. If he could use his magic, Kurt Zisa would be done for. Heck, if he had Royce this would be easy. But he can't trust heartless to stay at his side with an emblem around. "Riku!" Aladdin called to him from the chasm wall. He was a sight for sore eyes. He waved crazily, directing attention to the currently offside hands holding the orbs of their problems. Aladdin used crude hand signals, proposing a split offense to take him by surprise. Riku liked the idea, especially since it was the only one they had. He nodded firmly and waited for his signal. Kurt Zisa planted his sword hands to sturdy pillars, bracing himself as he leaned himself further inside. The blades were retracted to his forearm, the holes at the tops closer and giving Aladdin another idea. Zisa kept the palms with the orbs extended in the air and out of reach. His extending neck lowered his cobra head inside, forks tongue and fangs dripping with venom. Riku and Aladdin hid to the best of their abilities, waiting for Zisa to come a little closer. Raspy hisses sent bumps scaling to their necks, standing the hairs on end. The dripping venom burned into the rocks like acid. "NOW!" Zisa jumped at Aladdin's cry. Riku sliced a gash in his cheek, while Aladdin cut into his left hood. Zisa shrilly howled in pain. The two climbed onto his head, scrambling up to the highest pillar. The orbs were within sight. They split off, each grabbing hold of a blade hole and launching to the wrists. Aladdin and Riku ran along the arm to the joints. Zisa inadvertently lowered the orb hands to pull himself free. Aladdin and Riku leapt and sliced the orbs clean in half. The spheres vanished from their bodies. Riku and Aladdin continued their onslaught, grabbing hold of a finger just as Zisa pulled himself free from the chasm. He was disoriented from the blind attacks, lost in debate on which one he'd rend apart first. Riku and Aladdin didn't give him time to think and leapt to the arms holding those huge swords. Their buried their blades into the shoulder joints, jerking and wrenching the coupling apart. Zisa's shrill cry busted their ear drums. He thrashed wildly, desperate to shake them off. Riku and Aladdin poured their weight onto their sword, prying the the joints from the sockets. Stubborn wires snapped off one at a time. The pair gave the wires one final cut and down the arms went sword in all, swallowed by the chasm.

"NICE!" Riku thrust a fist in victory. A premature act. Zisa snatched them up, immune to their pitiful struggling, and threw them back to the soft sand. Their landing felt more like landing on sand paper. "I am getting really sick of this." Being tossed around like a bean bag is more irritating than being used as a puppet. He dusted himself off, coughing up sand.

Aladdin groaned dazedly, massaging his sore rump. "You and me both!"

"At least he's two arms down." Riku shrugged, looking on the bright side. "Hm?" A ball of fire ignited in mid air. Riku blinked confusedly, flinching as one materialized in front of him. Six more appeared, surrounding the boys. "Not good?"

"Nope! RUN!" Riku and Aladdin dove in opposite directions. The fire balls veered in sharp turns, colliding with the sand in an blinding explosion. The aftershock of the blast blew the two boys skipping across the sand. "That...was close…" Riku huffed. Kurt Zisa floated from the chasm within an aura sphere, his four remaining glowing hands swaying in an elegant dance. More of those fiery orbs siphoned the air, each one appearing grew bigger than the last. "Dammit!" Riku clumsily shifted into his fighting stance, Souleater crossed at his torso and against his other palm. Zisa unleashed the barrage of orbs for the silver haired boy. One by one he cut right through them, their explosive nature dulled to nothing but an extinguished hissed.

"I'm coming!" Aladdin ran with his sword extended to the side. Kurt Zisa flourished his hands upward. Twisters sprouted from the sand, trapping Aladdin inside their storm. Aladdin made a dire dodge roll out of the center, sprinkled with sand as the twisters collided. More twisters instantly replaced them, chasing the scrambling Aladdin and ensnaring him in the same trap. Cutting them down to size wasn't an option as his sword just went clean through. He dodged and let them destroy themselves, only to be nearly swept off his feet by new ones. Tired of running, Aladdin made a ditch effort and charged for Kurt Zisa himself.

"Aladdin no!" Riku cried. Aladdin, in a fit of rage, swung his sword at the shield. Regardless of the blade being deflected he attacked. Chips and scratches tarnished the seemingly pure shield, driving the heartless to back away. Aladdin traded hands, slashed from each direction, even performed amazing leaps. He cut away at Kurt Zisa defenses, refusing to yield to him or the fatigue weighing on him. He had to fight. He had to protect his home. He had to protect...JASMINE! Kurt Zisa swatted Aladdin into a long arch. Riku finished the last of the orb, gasping in dismay at the flying street rat. He kicked off the sand into a high speed charge, veering around and catching him. He dug in his heels to a halt. "You alright?"

"NO! I'M NOT!" Aladdin frothed at the mouth. "We can't stop something like this! Who am I kidding?! This is hopeless." Riku's jaw fell agape. He can't believe what he's hearing. Aladdin pried out of his arms, shaking his defeatedly hung head in shame. This is...out of his league. He could barely handle the smaller heartless on his own. This enormous heartless was treating him like the insect he was. "Genie...Carpet...Sora...I need-"

Riku punched Aladdin in the cheek, knocking him clear off his feet. "I've heard enough out of you!" This was bringing Riku close to vomiting. Aladdin touched the throbbing cheek, gawking in disbelief. "Seriously, when did Princess Jasmine take a coward as her boyfriend?"

"What? A coward?" He snarled.

"Yeah a coward!" Riku towered over him. He snatched him by the collar, dragging him in close to see the outrage beaming in his cerulean orbs. "You listen to me! Circumstances are only hopeless if you give up before you start!" Riku knows that better than anyone. If he'd given up when Ansem first possessed him, or when the odds kept adversely stacking at Castle Oblivion, Riku would be nothing but a mindless creature of darkness. "He's huge! So what! I've face bigger, badder, stronger guys than this and have lived to tell about it!" By the skin of his teeth no less.

"You have powers that I don't." Aladdin moaned depressed.

"And you're a crafty treasure hunter with heart, and a girl waiting for you back home!" Who, by the way, saved Riku hind twice now with his quick thinking. "We can beat this thing! Together!" He opened a hand for him to take.

The desert sun, being batted around, or perhaps just severe dehydration. Aladdin saw Riku radiate like a beacon of hope. Newfound strength pouring into him. It reminded him of Sora. Another boy has come along, odds stacked so high you can't see the top, with the courage and nerves of steel to face it down. Aladdin remembers having the same resolve when Jasmine was in danger. When Genie and Carpet were there to help him. Guess when they left they took it with them. Today, Aladdin takes it back. "Together…!" He took the hand and was hauled to his feet. "Let's finish this guy off!"

"Yeah!" Riku and Aladdin studied the heartless mocking them from a distance. What the heartless hadn't noticed is, in his fit of madness, Aladdin did some serious damage to his shield. The wounds he and Riku inflicted to his head left him moderately disoriented. The wound to his eye left him blind on that side. The other one on the other side of his hood was dripping oil. "That's it! The shield!"

"I hear you! We take down that shield, we can take off the head of this snake!" Not a perfect plan, but a plan. "We know his attacks, for the most part." He had to add. If there's one thing you learn in the desert, it's that there are always surprises. "Let's bring him to his last leg!"

On that note Riku was the first to charge, black and blue mists intertwining with his blade. Aladdin kept at the rear, sword with the hilt forward and blade parallel to his forearm. Kurt Zisa conjured a minefield of those fiery orbs. A dozen appeared inches from the encroaching pair, others on the path leading to the floating heartless. Riku skid and jerked himself back on his abrupt halt. A splash of Soul Eater sent a crescent wave of black and blue ice shards tearing the orbs to ribbons. Aladdin ducked and dove past the first set, cutting the orbs clean in half. Kurt Zisa hissed venomously, sending the remaining orbs froth. Their volatile embers brightened to their zenith, on the verge of exploding in their faces.

" _DEFLECT!_ " Riku braced himself, Aladdin at his back, crossed Souleater at his chest. Smoke blanketed the area as the orbs exploded upon the two men. A dome shaped shield cut through the smoke. Riku and Aladdin didn't have a scratch on them. Zisa clenched his fists, growling murderously. He swept his hands into the air, marshalling four twisters. "GO!" Riku dropped the shield. He and Aladdin rolled out of the fray, the twisters erupting to sprinkles of sand. They pushed on with their charge, dragging their swords through the sand. Zisa threw every fiery orb and sand twister at them, backing away in terror as these humans cut through his offenses like they were nothing. The boys drew closer, launching into the air with their swords above their heads. Zisa folded his legs into himself, setting himself loose in a deadly spinning attack. Riku and Aladdin brought the swords down. Blades and metal drilled shrilly against one another. Aladdin and Riku were dragged across the air, Zisa's high velocity spin raining sparks in every direction. He unraveled himself, fanning his limbs wide and sending them soaring. Aladdin and Riku flipped around, their feet touching to nearby boulders, and rebound in the blink of an eye back at the massive heartless. Zisa through his shield up last second. " _FIRAGA DETONATION!_ " Flames wafted to Riku's blade. He let it fly, piercing the shield. The blade feasibly intruded halfway. Kurt Zisa flinched as they blade stopped a breath from piercing his one good eye. He exhaled relieved. The flames traveled to the tip and snuffed out like a fuse. There was a bright dot that inflated right before his eye. An explosion blew the shield to smithereens, and blew Zisa onto his back. Smoking score marks tarnished his armor.

Zisa was seeing stars, bracing his palms to the ground to push up. Aladdin landed on Zisa's chest. He was so weak he was smashed back down. In a blind rage he extended his fangs, lashing out for his ribs. Aladdin roared at the top of his lungs. He swung his sword with all his might. _SLICE! SPLASH!_ Oil and liquids spattered to the chest. Zisa's jaw slackened, the light in his eyes faded. In slow motion the head flew past, liquids spilling from the severed neck cable. Zisa's head hit the sand, his entire body went limp, and then he was returned to the darkness from whence he came. "Whew…" Aladdin collapsed to his butt, sword stabbed so he wouldn't fall over. "It's...over…" He panted.

"Nice work!" Riku helped him to his feet. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Thanks...for everything." Aladdin offered a hand.

"No problem." Riku shook it firmly.

"So, uh…" Aladdin itched his head, unnerved by the miles of open desert, "Should we start walking?"

"I have a better idea." Riku winked. He waved a hand. Aladdin was frightened by the portal opening from nowhere. It was funny. And with how exhausted Riku was he'd find a bird being hit by a rock hilarious. "Please keep your hands and arms inside the portal at all times, and do not stray from the trail." Riku didn't leave him much room to protest and shoved him in. Yes, he risks going backwards in what's turning into a great relationship. But it was too good to pass up.

 **xxx**

Luxord kicked the imprint Zisa's decapitated figure left, bobbing his head mildly impressed by this change in the game. He half expected the typical hand to be dealt. One or two cards to play to at least hold the board, the rest of no real worth that require a miracle deal to gain ground. What he witnessed just now was the complete opposite. "A wild card that can literally topple the odds with a card of meek numerical value."

"Remind me never to be alone with this guy." Demyx scoffed from a seat on a rock formation, tuning his sitar with disinterest. A mask for the sweat running down his back not caused by the heat. "Look, I get it. The kid is impressive. He can handle himself on his own, and he looks good in our cloak!" A snap of his fingers sent the sitar away, and he pushed himself off the boulder. "Why are we still sticking around? Saix expects us back with our report, and we can leave out the pure luck of stumbling on him here."

"When starting a new game, the key to victory is knowing the players." Luxord slapped a joker to Demyx' forehead. "This Riku is a wild card we know nothing about. He inspires wealth to the weaker cards in his hand and is capable of pulling out trumps at the slightest disadvantage." The weak card being that street rat, and those improvised trumps he calls spells. A crafty young man wielding a weapon that brings either bliss or chaos. "This boy is a powerful adversary, and a daunting omen for our organization. But even the player with the best hand has a weakness." Luxord opened a portal, fully intending to find that weakness before they depart.

 **xxx**

 **(Enchanted Dominion)**

"XANARA!" Alirah raised her keyblade to the clouds, bringing the full force of black thunder down upon the onslaught of Heartless. Their bodies spasmed out of control, and they were sent back to the darkness. She blew the steam off her keyblade, retaining the full focus of her Soul Sight to that auburn trail the raven left behind. And it was fading fast. The dead are easier to track. " _Heal..._ " Alirah traced a hand up her body, golden bells tolled above her head and green leaves healed her sore muscles. "You three alright?" She beckoned to The Fairies hiding behind a gargoyle.

"We are fine!" Fauna waved.

"Good!" She struck her key to the stone. The sparks ignited a line that ran the path of Diablo's flight. She lost the line in a tower window. "Follow me!" She and The Fairies chased the string. The most direct route took them inside the castle. The line was able to be seen from the windows. The walls Alirah nearly hit, however, not so much. At the very least they were on the right trail. "He can't have gotten too far!"

"Why did we let Diablo go?" Merryweather fumed.

"Because he's drawn to Maleficent! If there's remotely a shot her spirit is haunting this place, he'll sniff her out!" Hiano's no different.

"I see!" Fauna gasped. "Diablo isn't the one causing the malevolence here…"

"But he knows what is and where it's coming from! Good job Alirah!" Flora praised.

"Thanks." She breathed. Flora better not thank her yet. The hard part's barely started.

The hunt didn't last long at all. Running through these corridors isn't a nostalgia she wanted. Felt worse than these images that kept flashing in her mind. She came back to her senses entering an open atrium. She was at the top of a stage, the remnants of an old throne imbedded in the wall. The string circled at the center of the ceiling, and then that was it. "His trail stops here…" Alirah confirmed. She glared at the throne. "This chamber…" She's hasn't been here in years...yet she can recall every crack and crevice. She can see that witch sitting in that chair, full of herself and crowning herself the Queen of all Evil, looking down upon the masses that she will turn into her puppets. Her charm and charisma luring victims into a false sense of security. That silver tongue of hers capable of convincing anyone to drink poison. Alirah hated her. She still hates her. She'll always hate her. "Huh. Wonder when _hate_ became my leading emotion." She glided a hand to the throne. Is it a wonder she'd never be a pure heart like Aurora or Kairi.

' _My power ensures I know of the key to bringing me hearts._ ' Alirah gasped and spun on her heels. There, standing on the ledge, was Maleficent herself. Alirah summoned her keyblade, then froze when she realized...she wasn't real. She hesitantly approached her, waving a hand that went flush through her. She was a shadow...speaking to another shadow. But who? Someone was down there!

"Alirah? What's wrong?" Flora asked fretfully.

"You don't see her?!" Alirah shrieked. She gestured her hands to where the witch was standing. "She's standing right here!"

Merryweather and Fauna knit their brows suspiciously. "Who, Dear?" Flora pressed in what Alirah found to be a condescending tone.

"Who do you think?! Maleficent! She's talking to someone!" She knows she must sound crazy, but it is the truth. Maleficent was right there. "She just said...she knew about the keyblade and-and-and that it would bring her the pure hearts!" She clawed at her scalp, hyperventilating. Flora and her sister wordlessly watched the girl tear herself apart. They have a feeling they know what's happening to her.

' _Terra gave me a demonstration._ ' Maleficent chortled.

"A demonstration?!" The key that would bring her hearts. That's right. Maleficent was told by Xehanort about the Keyblade. And Terra...he was...possessed by her...forced to steal Aurora's heart. And this witch...told someone. "Aqua...or Ven?" It had to be one of them. Who else would care about Terra...besides Alirah? Or Xehanort. She needed a new perspective. That circle. Someone was or is down there. Alirah leapt off the platform. Maleficent disappeared into thin air. Alirah set foot to the inner circle and then was stopped dead in her place. A pulse throbbing at the pit of her soul captured her chest in an anguishing vice. She wobbled dazedly, her feet tripping to stay standing. The chamber went out of focus, regressing to a rippling hue. She was seeing spots and shadows being stirred like a pot of stew, every color and sensation trapped in that abysmal swirl. "What...what is this? What's happening?!" Her head was killing her.

' _How do you know about me and the keyblade?!_ '

Tears glossed Alirah's wide eyes. Beside her was an infuriated Ventus. Keyblade in hand, and his fighting spirit at its peak. "Ven?!" She lunged to hug him. Her heart shattered when she stumbled through him. Another shadow. Just an illusion. Why is she surrounded by FAKES?

' _That's a lie!_ _TERRA WOULD NEVER HURT SOMEONE LIKE THAT!_ ' He frothed at the mouth.

Alirah was struck by an epiphany. Maleficent, before, said Terra stole Aurora's heart. Ven doesn't believe a word she said. Alirah's heart sank. "Ven…" Never has she been grateful he wasn't around. "Ventus, what brought you here?"

' _Ven! Don't be fooled!_ ' Came running a furious Aqua.

"Aqua too! The Fairies said you both were here!" Those very Fairies were watching from the stage, closely monitoring her scampering. "What are you doing here, Aqua?"

Aqua faced Ven, ' _The Master sent me. Ven...let's go home._ '

"Wait...you wanted to take him home?" Why would Aqua want to take him home? Then again, she said Ven ran away looking for Terra. Eraqus sent her to find Ven? Why? Wait! What the heck is happening? What is she seeing? How is she seeing this? "AAGGHH!" Searing white pain split her skull down the middle. She dropped to her knees. "HELP ME!" She begged. Flora kept her sister's back. "RIKU! RIKU, PLEASE! HELP ME!" She needs Riku. She can't handle it. It's too much.

' _YOU'RE LYING! ALIRAH WOULD NEVER HURT HIM!_ ' Aqua's voice broke through. She was alone. Ven was gone.

"I'd never hurt who? Terra?!" Maleficent was...in pain? She was wounded? When did that happen? The scene was moving. Their lips were moving, but there wasn't any sound. "No...wait...go back!" She ordered. The scenario just kept moving. "What did she tell you?! I never hurt Terra! I wouldn't!" What lies has she spread? Aqua was sucked down the hole. Alirah yelp terrified, falling to the pit that opened. She was completely stricken by shock that there wasn't a hole, just a solid floor. She patted the ground, losing herself in hysteria. "No, no, no, no! Come back! Come back! PLEASE COME BACK!" _Don't leave me again! Please don't leave me again!_ They were so close...so close. ' _He stole Princess Aurora's heart.'_ Maleficent's infamous croon punctured her ears. _'He...did?'_ Came Ven's response, doubt toward Terra emanating. ' _The master sent me._ ' Was Aqua's insertion. Louder and louder Aqua, Ven, and Maleficent's argument ensued. Shrill cackling, warish struggling, adamant protests. Alirah clawed at her ears. The sounds pierced past her ears. Her mind tore itself in half. The overlapping voices ricocheted off the dank walls, rebounding from the high ceilings, burrowing holes in Alirah's skull. She staggered disoriented, flailing to escape the oppressive onslaught. Throbbing, indescribable pain split her head down the middle. Darkness emanated from Alirah's back, coating her head, shoulders, and legs. Her glowing gold eyes flared open. "ENOUGH!" With a sweep of her hands, dark magic erupted in a violent whirlwind. Gashes tore clean in the hall's solid stone, scorching the inside out. The fiery wind dispersed in puff. The echoing voices of the past with it. Alirah dripped in sweat, panting frustrated and exhausted.

"Breathe, dear." Alirah jumped out of her skin at a hand on her back. The Fairies gave her space, coaxing her to calm with motioning hands. "Calm down, calm down. We're here for you."

"What...the Hell...was that?" She spat. Her glare warned them not to play stupid. They will join her on the floor. They aren't looking at her like she's crazy! They are in awe, and are showing remorse. They know full well what's happening. "Those weren't ghosts. Those were actual voices...from an actual confrontation. Ven, Aqua, and Maleficent!" She slammed a fist to the ground. "All three of them were in this room! All three of them fought! Then...and then…" Alirah assumed silence heightened the thumping of her heart. A closer listen discerned those thumps to be footsteps running. She turned to where she heard them running. She froze in shock. The shadow of Ven was running at breakneck speeds out of the hall. Images of the same people just dashing side to side - on the floor, ceiling, walls - sending Alirah into a spin. "What's going on? What am I seeing?! HOW am I seeing all of this?" This is just like with Eraqus's Keyblade. Shapes and shadows, intense emotions - all being hurtled from that keyblade. This was something completely different. The castle has harbored what Maleficent's evil, and Aqua and Ven's heart left behind. A scar that can never be healed bleeding into the next person that walks in. "PLEASE TELL ME!" She begged the fairies. "What's happening to me?!"

"Your powers are growing." Fauna stated unwaveringly. While her sisters wished she'd take a sugar coating route, equivocating is not an option. "You are a Necromancer, correct?" Alirah bobbed her head. A curse she's dealt with since she was four. "Your powers beget the darkness, thus the darkness is your to wield." Fauna gestured to the space around them. "The darkness within this place is potent, and it is agitating your powers to where you cannot manage them."

"What does that have to do with the voices I'm hearing? Or the shadows that I'm seeing?" The darkness was going to unveil the truth to her, reveal what was left behind after Terra, Aqua, and Ven vanished. What she hadn't expected was it to hurt this much. Or for it to be so aggressive. What she experienced on the bridge had to have only been possible because she lived that moment. But the castle, Aurora's room - events she was never present for are playing out before her. Full on immersive viewing, voices ringing from everywhere - Alirah hadn't signed up for that. Sure as Hell didn't see it coming.

Flora placed a hand on Fauna's shoulder, volunteering to take over. "Like the stars with your grandfather, Master Yensid, the darkness is granting you a clairvoyance. Allowing you to see, hear, and feel what transpired here."

"It is? But...how? Why?" Not that it isn't what she wanted, but how is it that she's being allowed to...re-live what happened? And is that what happened on the bridge? If it is because of her strong feelings, and the feelings of Terra and Maleficent, will she be able to...walk in their shoes?

"Mysteries lie in the shadows." Merryweather stepped in. "Only those willing to brave those shadows will find the answers they seek."

"The bond you share with Aqua and Ventus is the strongest we've ever felt." Flora praised her, brushing hairs from her beautiful face. "Stronger is your will to find the truth." Alirah curled a hand at her chest. That has to be the one light and darkness in her heart. It's a noble cause...that led her to hurt everyone around her.

"In your heart, you carry a strong desire to know what became of those you lost." Fauna tenderly spoke. "Those strong feelings are influencing the darkness within this castle, and your necromantic magic, recreating the events which transpired."

"You mean...because I want to know what happened...the darkness is showing me?" This isn't at all what she expected. She thought she'd have to touch something or siphon energy. But for the darkness to place her in the moment...it's unreal. "It can't be as simple as me wanting to see, though! There has to be more."

"Perceptive." Merryweather forced a laugh.

"Strong hearted people leave a greater imprint than they realize." Flora's words were high praise to Alirah's friends. "On a person, within a place, or in an object - a piece of strong hearted person will always reside. Their feelings, their hearts, their souls." She tilted Alirah's head by the chin, wearing a very serious expression. "We are certain this is not the first time this has occurred." Alirah cast her gaze sideways. Eraqus's keyblade radiates with shame for his master. _Wait? Was it the keyblade's shame I was sensing? Or was that Eraqus?_ "The Forbidden Mountain has harbored the hatred of Maleficent, and the love and courage of Ventus and Aqua, for the past decade." Not an inch of it has washed away. "On your journey, Alirah, you will come across many places, objects, and people that have been imprinted by those you seek. Those imprints will be your guide. By your will or not, your powers will show you _the truth_ you seek so long as your heart desires it. "

By her will or not, eh? Her headache proves those images weren't by her choice. Yet another perk of being a necromance. Riku has it so enviously easy. Headache and shadows be damned, what she saw was the first REAL CLUE she's stumbled upon in a long time. Aqua and Ven crossed paths with Maleficent who undoubtedly crossed paths with Xehanort. How else did she learn about the Keyblade? _Really starting to regret no asking her when I had the chance._ This encounter with the dark faerie was on the foothold in Terra, Aqua, Ven, and Alirah's journey. Each one sent on the same path, but following a different destiny.

"The battle they waged continues to rage on. The darkness, in its malignance, feeds off those residual feelings and has grown wild." Fauna warned. Unleashing its miasma and causing chaos and fear amongst those of the Enchanted Dominion. "We can tell you who became victorious. But we are certain, if you focus, you can see their battle."

"I don't think she has time for that!" Merryweather cried. She was at a high window. "It's Diablo!" The Raven was flying off into the distance. In his talons were a large cloak. A sickeningly familiar one. "He's heading for the castle!"

"That can't be good!" Alirah stated the obvious.

"We'll never beat him there on foot."

"Then we'll be faster!" Alirah swiped her hand up, tearing open a portal. "Come on! Hurry!" She ran. The Fairies debated fearfully going inside a portal of darkness. Alirah didn't wait for them to decide, "COME ON," And pulled them inside.

 **xxx**

 **(Agrabah)**

"ALADDIN!" Jasmine shed tears of joy. She's never loved the city gates opening so much in her whole life. Aladdin was looking worse for wear. She didn't care. She ambushed him with a hug that could crush stone. Aladdin spun her around, their lips colliding in a passionate kiss. Riku couldn't help admiring. A flush came to his cheeks, seeing those two as himself and Alirah. "Are you okay?! Where have you been?!" She fussed, appalled by how filthy he is.

"Easy, Jasmine! I'm fine!" He held her hands, flexing a muscle for her. She was delirious with grief that she laughed. "And...I'd be worse if Riku hadn't saved me."

Riku's breath hitched in his throat. He waved off the praise, playing it off like it was nothing. He was the next to be constricted in one of Jasmine's hugs. He'd remark on how fast this whole forgiving thing was moving...but he's losing circulation in his brain. "Thank you so much!" She wept. Riku was turning as blue as his eyes. "I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you!"

"You can...not...choke me!" Jasmine quickly released him, waiting to catch him as he caught his breath. The light - the scary one meaning you're passing on - faded away. Thank goodness. He doesn't want to be stuck with Hades for eternity. "And it was my pleasure. After what I've put you guys through," Riku massaged the back of his neck guiltily, "I don't feel as though this is enough."

"It's...more than enough. Thank you." Jasmine reassured him, cupping his cheek. Riku's heart fluttered with butterflies. He had no choice but to accept her gratitude. Honestly, it's the second most awesome feeling in his life. "So is all well in the desert now?" Considering it's a desert, there will be more problems later on. Riku and Aladdin filled her in on Kurt Zisa and the incident near the ruins. By all accounts things should be calm from there on in. "What's next on your list?" Jasmine inquired.

"Not sure. I still have another…dozen or so places to go before I can clear my conscience." That's counting on his hands and feet. And suddenly the warm and fuzzy moment he had with Jasmine and Aladdin went out his back end. "I think Belle and Beast would be the next best place."

Jasmine shuddered at that plan. "Be careful there. Beast swore to tear you apart if he ever saw you again."

"I'd be disappointed if he didn't want to." He snickered. That being said he should invest in a suit of armor. "Take care you guys." He opened a portal.

"Take care!" Jasmine and Aladdin waved, watching him depart until the portal closed.

 **xxx**

 **(Enchanted Dominion)**

Aurora paced from one end of the castle bridge to the other, nibbling anxiously on her nails. She sent Alirah after The Fairies a while ago. She began to fear Alirah didn't find them. Or she did find them and The Fairies didn't respond in the most positive way. She isn't unaware The Fairies aren't fans of the girl who tried to kill their good friend. What if they made it to the mountain and were hurt? The Mountain, from where she was standing, was still stormy but in a more mild temperament. Maybe they were successful and on their way back right now. She just needs to take a breath and-

"AURORA!" The princess jumped out of her skin. Alirah came bursting out of a hole in the middle of the bridge. The Fairies collapsed, utterly paled by the brief travel. That's something they'll never do again.

"Alirah! You're all okay!" She beamed.

"But you may not be! You need to get inside!" Alirah implored.

"What?! Why?! What's happened?!"

"I promise to explain, but you need to get inside now!" Alirah spun her around, shoving her for the portcullis. The princess was really stubborn, digging in her heels and protesting.

Merryweather propped her sisters to the wall, pumping a healing spell into their veins. That was their first trip through through the darkness and it is certainly the last. Flapping on the air sent chills down Merryweather's spine. Sure enough, when she looked up, there was Diablo with that cloak in talon. "ALIRAH! HE'S HERE!"

Alirah and Aurora whipped back. The two gasped horrified. They recognized the cloak he had. "That's Maleficent's!" Aurora cried.

"I don't like this!" Alirah summoned Oblivion. Diablo weaved his body back, tossing the cloak as hard as he could. The cloak spanned open like a glider. A typhoon of darkness exploded from the abyss its ebony silk fashioned, a thick miasma blanketing the bridge. The Fairies cast a shield around themselves. The mist past over them like a hurricane. Alirah threw herself opened armed before Aurora, the mist viciously striking the shield. Alirah winced under the cracks it caused, Aurora ducking behind her. Alirah squinted hard in the black storm, scouring for the monster she knows lurks within. Sure enough a pair of envy green eyes pierced the dark. A scaly, massive razor clawed paw stepped forward, quaking the bridge. A tail just shy of being as long as they bridge wrapped under and over. Wings unfurled, a large hide grew, and a head climbed from the cloud on a long neck. The sickening purple underbelly as thick as a soldier's armor. As the black cloud dissipated, everyone gazed in horror at the return of Maleficent. Her dragon form. "Think we found the source." Alirah stated the obvious in a pitiful joke attempt.

"How is this possible?!" Aurora trembled. "I thought Sora destroyed her!"

"And he did! This is just her shadow!" She directed attention to the flakes falling from the dragon. "This is all that's clinging to this world! We destroy it, she's gone!" The dragon growled rabidly, glaring murderously at The Fairies, Alirah, and then to Aurora. Her pupils narrowed even thinner on the princess. She took a step toward her, green embers gathering in her mouth. Aurora paled in sheer terror, backing away. The dragon retracted her neck, mouth and fangs priming to cleave her flesh from her bones. "Get away from her!" Alirah charged at full speed, slashing at the leading ankle. The dragon howled shrilly, babying the paw. "GET AURORA OUT OF HERE!"

"Come along!" Fauna pleaded.

The Fairies rushed to Aurora's side, taking her inside the castle. Aurora protested, refusing to leave Alirah alone with that monster. The Fairies were firm and got her inside. Aurora broke away from them, running up a flight of stairs to the left wall. She lunged halfway over, spotting Alirah skipping side to side as the dragon finished licking her wound. "Please...Alirah…"

The gash running side to side infuriated the dragon. She redirected her massive jaws, snapping for Alirah's head. She sprang back, the dragon eating a mouthful of stones. Alirah quickly countered with two strikes to her snout and cheek. The third strike missed by a hair. The dragon clutched her in her paw. She smashed her to the bridge, the stone cracking beneath her. Blood exploded from her throat. The Fairies and Aurora could barely watch as they felt the impact. Alirah grit her teeth, slapping a hand to the paw. " _XELLA!_ " Fire poured into the wound, bursting vessels and veins. The pain stood her up on her hind legs. " _GALICIA!_ " Black ice shards pelted her in rampant volleys, edging her back. Her black heart was exposed. Alirah ran far her, jumping to and running along the wall. She pushed off into the air, sweeping her keyblade above her head. The dragon's brow knit sharply. Alirah was jerked to a mid air halt, pain crushing her abdomen. The dragon's tail constricted coiled to her like a serpent. She was whipped around and sent skipping farther down the bridge and away from Aurora.

"ALIRAH!" Aurora screamed. The dragon snapped her glare for the princess. Aurora and The Fairies flinched. When she started coming closer, they were rooted in place. Helpless, terrified, doomed - Aurora held their hands, staring this evil down, refusing to run. Mostly because she couldn't. The dragon cackled in Maleficent's voice, stalking up the side of the castle, coming face to face with the tearful Aurora.

" _TEAR ASUNDER THE SISTERLY BINDS!_ " Alirah's below tore Aurora and The Fairies from their despair. The dragon twisted around. Half her body twisted back, the keyblade parallel to her forearm, Alirah stood fortified within a wafting glow gathering up her body. A wall of shimmering projectiles materialized by a pentagram at Alirah's feet aimed from that heinous witches head, body, and legs. Aurora and The Fairies were entranced by the warm light coming from her. This is a light neither they nor Alirah believed she could possess. She closed her eyes, twirling her keyblade, and stomping a foot forward. She flared golden eyes open, casting her blade forth and cried, " _GLACIA LACERO!_ " In the blink of an eye those projectiles shredded into the dragon, tearing her noncorporeal form to ribbons. The dragon tried to block the attack, swat it away desperately. The power of the light piercing her was too great. She crumbled to her haunches, growling from her gut. She lunged forward, snapping her jaws. Alirah bent back to her palms back flipping and skipping past the blind attacks. A fire of fire roared from her throat, swallowing Alirah whole. The Fairies and Aurora were ready to think the worst. " _AERO!_ " The cry of the spell unleashed a bluster of wind, dispersing the flames from her. "You won't touch her again!" The dragon tested that theory by swatting Alirah away. She turned back for the princess, daring Alirah to stop her. "MALEFICENT!" Alirah picked herself up, dusting off that pitiful hit. The dragon smirked at her posturing. "I said…" The flare of her beaming golden eyes unleashed a shockwave that made the shadow cringe, losing shape briefly, "GET-AWAY-FROM-HEERRR!" She roared. The dragon kindled under her blustery roar, taking a full step back. "You robbed this girl of 16 years of her life in a way she'll never acknowledge because she was at least happy in with those 16! But no more!" Alirah marched towards her, darkness ushering to her keyblade in a fury. "You abducted her twice, stole her heart twice!" Rampant waves tore into the stone, lashing out at the shadow. "I will give up everything before I ever let you touch her again! EVERYTHING!" The dragon shot to her hind legs, roaring to the skies. Alirah drew her keyblade back. The core of the dragon's being brimmed. Alirah let her keyblade fly, piercing the nonexistent heart of Maleficent's shadow. She grasped at the key to pull it out. Cones of light broke through her form, trailing sickening cracks head to toe. The dragon's last will to exist snuffed on the wind, collapsing with a loud rumble, then fading to nothing but flakes in a matter of seconds. Alirah dropped to her knees exhausted, stabbing her key to the bridge. This day has been a chore. A shadow was gliding over her. Maleficent's cloak was intact, floating down to her. Alirah had enough strength to burn it to ashes. Diablo had other plans. He swooped in, stole the cloak, and flew off to the horizon. Under normal circumstances she'd be grateful for that contingency. Unfortunately she knows Maleficent too well. That shadow won't be the last time she sees her. And she's really going to regret helping Merryweather free that bird.

"ALIRAH!" Aurora and The Fairies raced to her, hoisting her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine…" She lied. She's not fine. She's far from it. Aurora's life was turned upside down more times than anyone in her life should have to endure. She never asked for any of this...and Alirah only succeeded in furthering her torment. "Aurora?" Her voice cracked. This is her fault. All of this...is her fault. She could have stopped Maleficent years ago. "I...I'm sorry…" Tears fell down her cheek. The Fairies were taken aback. "I'm...so...sorry…" She grasped her wirst.

"Sshh…" Aurora took her in her arms, running a hand down her back. "It's alright, Alirah." She's so warm. Aurora was so warm that it killed her. This is why she's a chosen of pure light. "You've nothing to apologize for." She broke the hug, brushing away tears and hair from Alirah's face. "I forgave you a long time ago. Now forgive yourself." She implored, cupping her cheek.

"I will...one day." She sniffled, pulling herself together. That road's longer than the one she's on. That aside, there's a silver lining here. The cloak was the source of the haunting at Maleficent's old castle. With Diablo taking it away, she'd say there's nothing left to worry about. "I'd say my time here is done. "

"Where to next for you?" Fauna asked excitedly.

"I think I'll go see Snow White. I think she's looking forward to seeing me on my knees." She winked at Aurora.

"I know I enjoyed it." Aurora chortled impishly.

"Wow, a Princess who can be a brat." Alirah playfully scolded with hands on her hips. Laughter broke out amongst them all, taking away the tension. Alirah massaged Aurora's forearm, giving her a warm smile. "Take care, Rose."

Aurora gasped, holding hands to her fluttering heart. She hasn't heard that name in so long. "How do you know that name?"

"The Fairies told me. It suits you." Alirah opened a portal and strolled through, leaving Aurora and The Fairies with a great sense of freedom they'd lost long ago. Unbeknownst to The Fairies and Aurora, Alirah let herself out at The Forbidden Mountain. Her job there in the Enchanted Dominion may be done, but her journey demands she stays a while longer. She needs to wander those halls one more time. Because now, thanks to The Fairies, Alirah has the key to learning what happened ten years ago.

 **To be continued**


	14. Moving Forward

**Moving Forward**

 **Alright. I'm back. Time to work**

 **xxx**

 _ **Day 71**_

 _ **Of**_

 _ **358/2 Days**_

Riku meandered on a stone bridge. The frigid night air stroked his cheeks, assuaging the stinging of his sunburn from Agrabah. Next time he's packing sunscreen. And he'll think twice about wearing all black in the middle of the sun. He smoothed a hand along the sleeve of his black cloak. In temperatures like these should he wear this.

"Ugh...hmm…" Riku's twisting stomach rooted his attempts to find some levity in his situation. He squeezed his eyes closed, taking in a long inhale of the frigid air. The bright side was the cold air worked in loosening his tense shoulders. The urge to turn back was strong. Just turn around and try another world. When has he ever listened to that response? Never. He opened his eyes again, head tilting back as ivory towers decadent with split roofing tiles and terrifying gargoyles erected before him. The Castle of Belle...and The Beast standing tall, proud, and ominously in the midst of a darkness of its own making.

"This place...is as depressing as last time." Riku murmured, rubbing and stretching his the sneaking suspicion vampires and werewolves would jump out at him. No matter how many times Riku visits here, the domain surrounding Beast's castle is soo...gloomy. Though, to be fair, this is his second visit in a long time. "Hmm…" He had a look around the bridge. A bottomless plummet into a gorge of fog below succeeded in sending chills down his spine. The eerie dramatic effect is all. Falling into darkness is way scarier. Unlike that, he's sure he'd hit the ground eventually in the gorge. If only it were the gorge that were the source of these chills scaling his spine. Taking in the rest of the bleak scenery around him, Riku wasn't taking kindly to the dying blackened trees on the other side of the tall gate behind him. The massive stone wall lining the sudden drop into that gorge. And the perpetual night that seems to choke the sky. "Doesn't the sun ever shine around this place?" An ironic question given he was nearly baked alive last time. "Hiano said there's some sort of _curse_ on this place, right?" He muttered to himself. "The Beast...used to be a human! That's right!" A light came on in his head.

During their first visit, on their hunt for Belle, and Snow White, who had found her way here because of Oogie's blunder, Hiano told him a story. The Beast was a human prince a long time ago. A spoiled one at that. This old woman came to his door, offering him a rose so she may take shelter from the freezing air. The prince, disgusted by her appearance, turned her away twice, even after being warned to not be swayed by appearances, and slammed the door in her face. A big mistake. The old woman was a beautiful and powerful Enchantress. To punish him for his cruelty, she turned him into a beast, and everyone in the castle was turned into household appliances. Riku does remember seeing a talking clock and candle somewhere. And he thinks a chandelier glared at him.

"No wonder the guy is always in such a bad mood." Riku breaking into his home and stealing his girlfriend doesn't help either.

Needless to say, there is no real method behind Riku's travels this juncture in his journey as a Keyblade Wielder. After their trials in Castle Oblivion, he and Alirah made an internally soul pressing choice to return to the worlds they've wronged and reconcile for their evil deeds. The first on that roster are the worlds home to the Princesses of Heart. Kingdom Hearts knows Riku and Alirah left nasty scars in those worlds and their inhabitants helping abduct their pure hearted lady friends. All to save their own. Kairi, Terra, Ven, and Aqua would be furious if they knew what these two had done.

"Maybe...I shouldn't go back to the Islands...just yet." He shrank.

Moving back on topic, Jasmine and Aladdin saw it within themselves to forgive Riku for his assault. He went above and beyond for them, saving the merchants and guards from the heartless, finding Aladdin and defeating Kurt Zisa, and bringing peace of mind to Jasmine who is in charge while her father is away. Those two are strong for being ordinary humans. Ha. Ordinary. That doesn't describe them in the least. They don't have keyblades, magic, or abilities beyond comprehension. Those tow more than make up for it with their perseverance to see their missions through, and a steadfast dedication to protect their people. Riku sort of understands that feeling. He'd go above himself - keyblade or no - to protect Sora, Kairi, and Alirah. He admires those two. A lot.

"Can't believe I was going to help eliminate them."

Next on Riku's roster was Beast's Castle. A trip he debated countless times. Beast and Belle are possibly the last people that want to see him. He's attacked the beast several times, mocking him for being too weak to stand against him. Riku lived in the powers he was given, savored that he can take down a big guy like beast and make him look like a chump. Let someone else be too helpless to save someone they spite of his lack of supernatural power, The Beast never gave up. He used that defeat, the loss of Belle, and the humiliation to breach the gaps that trapped him in his world. He literally powered his way through the worlds and somehow ended up at Hollow Bastion where he vowed to take Belle back. Riku must have beat him down to his breaking point, and he just kept coming back. And now...Riku is back. Here to apologize. Yeah...apologize for breaking into his castle, stealing his girlfriend, wounding him twice, and...is he forgetting anything… oh yeah. Being a grade A jerk just to win a few extra experience points.

"Maybe I should go in with my armor on." He moaned. Then Beast will really think he's there for a fight. He sucked it up and reluctantly headed for the castle wall. "On the bright side, whoever was following me back in Agrabah doesn't get to see me get ripped to shreds." Two whoevers if he sensed it right.

At first Riku thought it was the sun, or Jafar and Iago's presence. When Carpet and Genie showed up, Riku surmised it was them. None of the above. What he sensed was darker, and yet hollow. A presence that is clearly standing in the shadow, yet would not leave so much as a footprint behind. A specter of sorts. A...Nobody. Riku's finger troked his nose. He certain of it. Nobodies were watching him. He'd never forget that smell, and he'd never allow them to catch him by surprise. Not like they did in Traverse Town. "If Alirah wasn't there that time...the guy she sensed would have-UGH" A chilling thought piggybacked on his doubts. The man Alirah spoke of sounded powerful. Powerful enough to shake her up. Riku didn't sense him, but he sensed the pair in Agrabah. He placed a hand over his chest, curling his fingers into a fist. Alirah's powers...they far exceed his. This isn't news. She has years of experience on him. Still it...it irritates him. Back on the islands no one was able to match him. He was the best. The one everyone looked up to. Then Sora gets the keyblade, beats him, and knocks him into third place. It's annoying. It makes him sick. "Am I...am I actually jealous?"

' _Still too weak!_ ' Ansem's voice echoed in his mind, adding to his rage. "NO!" Riku swept a fist, breaking the aura of doubt encompassing him. "I'm not weak! And I'm not jealous! I just have work to do!" Riku has to remember something vital. His powers didn't awaken naturally like Sora's and Alirah's. Maleficent gave him one boost after another, bringing light ot powers he wasn't ready to have but had to adapt to. The potential he's capable of has yet to be discovered, let alone have a solid judgment placed on it. He's underestimating himself when he just took down Kurt Zisa, defeated Ansem, and has bested a darkness not even Sora can swim out of. "I'm not weak at all. And I'm not jealous of my friends." He declared. Then he smirked, "If anything this will make it sweeter when I beat them."

He's inspired himself. Riku marched onward, heading for the dawn his road lead to. Unbeknownst to him he left a tall shadow behind. Long, half spiked grey hair wafting in the breeze. Chocolate lips stretching into a thirsty smirk, with golden eyes devouring the wavering boy strutting with half hearted confidence. "Step by step…" The shadow purred, "You draw closer to my grasp once more."

 **xxx**

Meanwhile, in the Nobody Homeworld….

"AND HE WAS LIKE WHOOSH!" Demyx zoomed his hand. "And that street rat kid was like _AAHH!_ " He dramatically wailed, a hand draped to his forehead. "And the silver haired kid was all like, _I've got this! Darkness magic!_ " He made tiny noises, firing from his gun shaped fingers. A certain sharpshooter didn't take too kindly to the misinterpretation of firearms. "And-and-and-and-KAPOOSH!" He flourished his arms flamboyantly, plopping to a floor cushion. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. He really broke a sweat on that one. But he's sure he got the point across. That Riku kid leaves ya breathless. "See?" He shot his head up to his fellow Nobodies.

All that was seen are the strange looks coming from what remained of the Organization's members. A hollow blow of air wafted by the speechless Nobodies, none of them sure how to respond to that completely obscure report. Xigbar and Xaldin, maintaining balance at a wall, repeatedly exchanged glances, trying hard to figure out if Demyx was giving a report or showing off his interpretive dance moves. Xion and Roxas had sunk into their spots on the floor. They think he might have taken on brain damage, or possibly was afflicted with heatstroke. They know from experience that Agrabah gets pretty hot. The desert's no place for someone like Demyx. Saix, in his naturally brooding silence, permitted the boy to enact his idiocy. He's impossible to handle when he's like this. Forcing him to sit down will only make it worse.

"Are you quite finished?!" Saix urged him to be so. Before the vein in his skull decides to burst and he learns why Saix is better cold and taciturn.

"Aww! You guys don't believe me!" Demyx's whimpered with watery puppy eyes. No one in the Organization ever takes him seriously.

"It's...not so much as we don't believe you…" Roxas timidly forged his words, "So much as we have no clue what you've just said." Xion bobbed her head.

Demyx ground his teeth together, stamping in a tantrum and squealing shrilly. How the Hell was what he said not clear?! What?! Does he need funny pictures and special effects? He has those! He can get them! "Luxord saw! He'll tell you! Tell 'em-HUH?!" His lips and eyes shrank to dots, question marks popping around his head. A dotted outline was on the couch Luxord was supposed to be for moral support and veracity. Instead he ditches him mid rant. Card sharks are so flakey!

Right as Demyx was about to split a sitar string, Luxord meandered in with a bottle of whisky and a cup. Demyx was seething with wiggling outlines, and the crowd around him were afflicted with a serious case of bewilderment. "I see he finished his report." He nonchalantly retorted, pouring himself a drink. "Did he get use sound effects and his dance?"

"Like watching a regular improve." Xigbar snorted, waving a hand as he leaned to the wall. And he didn't have popcorn. Xaldin grunted under his breath, projecting himself as the unwavering mountain. Ironic given he's as whimsical as the wind. Granted, he'd like to take flight on that wind to escape this whirlwind of a headache Demyx forced upon him. "I'm with the Despaired Wind here. The kid spoke gibberish about our boy Riku and that street rat kid. Think you can translate?"

"Very well." Luxord took center stage. Demyx pouted like a child, plopping to the couch. He leaned with an elbow to his knee, knuckles pressing into his chin. Luxord put his drink and cup down, slapping Demyx's hand away, and cleared his throat. "Our excursion to Agrabah revealed quite the deck we are playing against." He ran a hand over the other, summoning a full deck. "At the very least half of it." He teased a wink, splitting the deck in two with one hand. "But make no mistake, half or full, the card that we face is not one we should take lightly." He drew a King of Spades, flipping the card around and changing the image to Riku. "The boy we tracked to Agrabah is capable of power that is on par with our leader. Possibly greater should he be allowed to grow." Saix's brow knit sharply, fingers gripping to his bicep. Someone who can match the Superior. Impossible. "In the face of overwhelming odds he does not fold. Instead he inspires cards of lesser value and ushers in a victory that dare not be attempted by others."

"He took down the Heartless known as Kurt Zisa, correct?" Xaldin recalled the name in between Demyx's mumblings. "That is no small feat."

"Be that as it may, do not feed this boy's stroke of luck." Saix forewarned his elder number. "The boy merely pulled win from thin air against a mindless enemy."

"I doubt luck has anything to do with it." Xigbar brazenly disagreed. He earned a death glare from the golden eyed berserker. Xigbar cackled with a raise of his hands. He's not looking to fight, but he won't turn one down from the Lunar Diviner. "Remember, this kid also took down members of our Organization while in Castle Oblivion. He's no lightweight."

Saix offered no rebuttal or noise in rebuke. He merely returned his austere leer to the Gambler of Fate. Juggling cards with a single finger, Luxord took the stare as word to continue. "Regardless of luck, skill, or anything of the ilk, the fact remains as such, Saix." He flicked a card. Saix caught it between his fingers. The Riku King of Spades boiled his blood. "We dare not underestimate the boy lest we follow our lost members into Oblivion." He warned earnestly.

"Axel…" Roxas moaned, clutching at his chest. He was confused why his chest tightened. He doesn't have a heart. Why is he...scared? Xion noted his unease. She placed a hand to his shoulder, reassuring him that Axel would be fine. Funny. Comforting him feels familiar.

"The boy aside, there is still work that needs to be done." Saix disrupted this riveting debate. He would, however, keep this topic in his back pocket. Someone said to stand on par with Xemnas may be unprecedented, but he cannot risk rumor evolving into truth. Dealing with this boy may have to be added to his list of priorities. "Xion, Roxas, Demyx, your orders are on the mission log. Go check it." The first two nodded dutifully, moseying on their way. Demyx moaned childishly, smashing his palms to his face. He just got back and he's already being sent on another mission. "Xaldin, previously you journeyed to a world where there were two beings with powerful hearts. One full of light, and the other string but shrouded by misery."

"Yes…" Xaldin pondered this world for a moment. "A beast and a young woman. There were typical appliances that moved and spoke like people." A very strange world. It caught him off guard. As did the master. What a Nobody he would make.

"There is another world with individuals with a similar strength of heart." Saix peered to the heart shaped moon. The radiant glow flowed beneath his skin, imbuing him with power. "I sensed it whilst perusing the roadways. There is a heart of light, and several other strong hearts there." Hearts of pure light. Now that is a familiar tole to the ear. "One heart in particular has a mysterious essence I cannot fathom. I want you to investigate."

"As you will. What is this world?"

"It is known as The Dwarf Woodlands."

 **xxx**

Maleficent's castle really calmed down after Diablo took her cloak away. The whole of Enchanted Dominion was different. Lighter. Usually she goes to a nice spot to clear her head. Alirah changed her tactics and just relaxed at the roof of the highest spire of Maleficent's castle. A lot was weighing on her mind. See, she returned to the castle after defeating Maleficent's vengeful shadow, wanting to see if she can't tap into those old memories the darkness in the castle was throwing at her. According to Flora and her sisters, strong hearted people, like Aurora, Terra, Aqua, and Ven, do leave behind imprints of themselves on the people and places they've come into contact with. Even those without a real heart like Maleficent leave imprints. These imprints cause events of a distant past to be trapped on a constant loop, forever replaying the circumstances that left the place and the hearts of those inside traumatized. Such as Maleficent taking Aurora's heart, Ven and Aqua coming to the rescue, and so forth. As a necromancer with the power over souls and the ability to sense those corporeal and not, the darkness unveils these events to Alirah, allowing her to bear witness. Similar to Yensid's ties with the stars and their omniscient sight.

Before, they were cuts and pastes hurtling themselves at Alirah. Ven demanding to know how Maleficent knows of him and the keyblade, Aqua swearing Alirah would never hurt Terra, and much, much more that Alirah wasn't able to memorize. She was being hit from all sides while trying not to let the darkness of the castle affect her too badly. This is a new technique that she's subconsciously been using for years. Only now that she's becoming more aware is her control severely slipping. Causing her to be a punching bag for the castle's daunting memories, and the voices of friend and foe to tear her skull apart. They bounced around from one portion of history to the next. Alirah became so overwhelmed at one point that she fell unconscious. Unable to resist the rampage, the castle's dark energy seeped into her mind and showed her how Aurora came to be trapped in an eternal slumber. The Fairies begging her not to touch the spindle, and Maleficent's will too powerful to fend off. Needless to say, a lot happened before she, Terra, Ven, and Aqua ever set foot on that world. And it only continued for ten years after. Which brings her to the roof.

Alirah released a very disappointed breath. Her hunch that, with the chaos passed and Maleficent's ghost cleared, she'd have a easier time peering into the shadows. It was the exact opposite.

"I guess...I can't see unless bad things are happening. Great." The one time she wants Maleficent around. Darkness is what allows her to see these events. If there's no darkness - not as dense as while Maleficent was haunting the castle - she's blind.

She saw some things. Nothing that answers her questions. On the bridge, there were moments during her fight where this nostalgia feeling came over her. As if a great battle against a dragon had been waged on that bridge once before. Aqua's arm became hers. Prince Phillip running across the bridge. And Aurora waking up. It wasn't a lot, but from what she gathered...Aqua helped Philip wake up Aurora. Maleficent's plan - her plan A anyway - was thwarted. And for many years Maleficent's schemes were at a stand still. Until she would abscond with a girl desperate to find her loved ones, and a boy hungry for adventure and power. Both of whom would betray anyone, and do whatever it takes to get what they want.

"Riku…." She groaned regretfully under her breath. There are times like this where she feels responsible for him being drawn into this mess. No she didn't ask Maleficent to take him, or for the keyblade to choose him, but she influenced his fall to darkness. Because she wanted her old life back she dragged Riku into the same dark place she was in. He was fuel with dark powers beyond his control, possessed by the shadow of her most hated enemy, and then was lost in the realm of darkness. And now...she doesn't know what's going on with him now. Ansem is still bothering. But there's more. And...and there's nothing she can do to help him.

A finger pressing to her forehead startled her from her thoughts. "Still the thinker, ey, Lira?" She batted her eyes, meeting the grin of a certain spiked red head.

"Lea."

He pressed knuckles to her forehead, grounding them into her skull. "Axel, doofus, got it memorized?" He warned.

"That's really losing its charm." She swatted his hand off. He'd do that when she was a kid too. He and Briag loved to make fun of how short she was. Still is. "What graces me with your presence this time?"

"Bad news, I'm afraid." He sat next to her, a leg swinging off the spire. Alirah sighed resignedly. Bad news is her best friend lately. Though there are knots in her stomach that it's Riku related. "My time from The Nobody Plane hasn't gone unnoticed. I need to get back there before Saix comes looking for me." Saix. He means Isa. Alirah's blood boiled at his memory. Their disagreement in Traverse Town sent shivers throughout her skin. She was green by how impassive to her threats he was. And the direct stab his presence impaled her with...he's become powerful. "Sorry, Lira."

"Don't be. It's not like you made him into a Nobody." When she says that out loud, it made her ponder how they became Nobodies in the first place. A strong hearted person becoming a heartless leaves the shell behind. The heartless came out of nowhere one day. Maybe they are the reason. But when did they become Nobodies? And how did they end up working for Xemnas? All of these questions. She feels like she walking in circles.

"When it wasn't Ienzo, you were always paling around with Isa." Axel reminisced warmly. "The twin blues we called you. You guys took a liking to it."

"We did." Her cheeks flushed, tiny giggles vibrating in the back of her throat. She doesn't know why, but she got along great with Isa. He'd always come to her room in the middle of the night to show her shooting stars. They'd laugh for hours at lame jokes. It was like...he was her Terra. "I remember Mr. McDuck thinking he was my big brother because of our hair. I'd never been so happy." Seeing she was giving in to the mush she punched Axel in the ribs. "All of you were like big brothers I never asked for. Well, you, Isa, and Ienzo. The others were more like Uncles." Axel halfheartedly smiled. One big happy family. "It was fun having you around." She sat up, folding her knees to her chest. "In spite of what you and the others might think, I miss you guys terribly. Regardless of what brings us together, I'm beyond happy to at least see you guys." Axel's green eyes gleamed. This pressure in his chest ached. "It just stinks that the requirement to have you back requires me to lose my soul."

"The price of admission is steep. And not one any of us would want you to make." Even if they are too proud to say it. Xemnas ordered Alirah's capture. By any means necessary they are to bring her to him. These powers of hers are the key to making their ultimate goal come to fruition faster. Not to mention having a necromancer as a Nobody would make them virtually unstoppable. But all the trouble Xemnas is going through to capture her borders on obsessive. "I know I don't have to tell you, Alirah. We...we will be asked to come looking for you. Attack you. I've thrown them off the scent while I could. Now…" There is nothing more he can do. He pinched at her cloak, "This cloak will only do half the job. We haven't forgotten how to find your hiding places."

"I wouldn't expect you to." She shrugged. She stroked hair behind her ear, smirking impishly, "Besides, I don't want you in trouble for going easy on me."

"You're worth it." He admitted. Alirah's heart twinged. He rose to his feet, opening a portal. "Before I go, your boyfriend finished up in Agrabah. And he had two tails riding him."

"The organization found him!" She cried, launching to her feet. Her veins ran rampant in her panic. The Organization went after him. They didn't waste any time.

"Yeah but they didn't do anything. The kid's tough." Axel chuckled, motioning his hands for her to relax. "Don't get so worked up!"

"I'm not worked up!" She blushed madly.

"Yeah you are." He teased. Alirah hissed through clenched teeth, balling her fingers tightly. She wants to punch him in the face so badly. "Be sure to give him huge kiss as a reward for being such a trooper." He winked.

"SHUT UP!" Axel laughed as he entered his portal. The silence that followed its closing is something Alirah never dreamed she'd cherish. "That idiot!" It's a good thing she's going to see Snow White next. Otherwise she might let her violent tendencies get the better of her. Snow would really let her hear it then.

 **xxx**

Riku winced at how loud the castle doors creaked. They closed with a thundering rumble that echoed to the ceiling and back of the massive foyer. He wiggled a finger in his ear. He may have gone deaf on that one. "I'm coming in…" He meekly announced himself. Though the way sound carries in the foyer somebody must have heard him. He hopes it was anyone other than the Beast. Riku's not quite ready to confront him yet.

The castle sounds as empty as before. The notion that no one was home is one he won't make twice. He knows better. Nothing in this castle was as it seems. The poster world for " _Appearances can be deceiving._ " That chandelier that glared at him, the talking clock and candle - the whole castle is alive with human servants changed into objects. The statues on the end of the stairs might be people too. "Wonder what being an object would be like." He stroked his chin. Then he bounced a palm off his forehead. Standing there ruminating isn't going to bring him any closer to finishing what he came there to do. He needs to find Belle and get going. Hopefully he wasn't followed this time.

"This cloak is supposed to hinder them from following me, right?" He tugged at the cloak. Diz said the Organization would be blind to him so long as he wore the cloak. Their ears, on the other hand, would be working fine. That being said, Riku had an epiphany, "The two I sensed were Nobodies. They shouldn't be able to find me that easily. That means...it was a coincidence." Has to be. If it weren't, he doubts they'd be so shy. Unless they're mission is to only observe for the time being. Whichever is the case, Riku has to be sure of two things. One: He's always on his guard. Two: he doesn't reveal anything about Hiano, Mickey, Sora, or Alirah.

Riku's first instinct was to take the stairs. They split off to the east and west wings of the castle. The door in the middle of the splitting stairs was...the ballroom. He should try the ballroom. He didn't get a chance to explore it last time. _Clatter._ "Huh?" Muffled noises came from a door to his right. Dim lighting was peeking from the split seam. "Was that always open?" He thought. A strange noise followed by a mysteriously opened door in a dark and gloomy enchanted castle. "I think I've read this book before." So he should go up the stairs to the ballroom and search for Belle, right? WRONG! Riku groaned disappointed in himself and meandered to the bait. He summoned Souleater, not about to be taken by surprise by an obvious trap. He crept to the right of the door, inching closer to the opening, minding to not move it. He peered inside as best he could from the crack. The crackling of a fireplace caught his ear. The warm glow flooded the room. The shadows of the objects inside rippled. He used it to spy for shadows that don't belong. He extended his senses into the room, scouring for someone or something that wanted him to know he's there. Nothing. He slipped inside, Souleater leading the way. He knit his brow to the parlor, seeing nothing out of the ordinary besides very renaissance decorating.

"Strange…" He whispered. He went to leave. A rosy glow caught the corner of his eye. On a table beside an armchair, there was a pristine bell jar encasing a beautiful red rose. A fuzzy glow emitted from the fully halfway bloomed bud. Riku was strangely drawn to it. Almost in a trance. "What's...happening...to me?" A tremendous power flowed from it into Riku, teasing his skin. He felt light as the air, but very uneasy. As if the rose was sapping his energy. The longer he gazed upon it the harder it was to look away from it. "No...stop…" He pleaded. His eyes glossed with desire. His legs trembling as he tried to resist. His hands disobeyed his commands, reaching for the jar. He...he wants to touch it. He needs to touch it. "What is this? Why am I-?"

The jar rattled wildly. Gnarly monster talons sprouted from the jar. Riku broke out of his trance. The talons swiped at him. Riku sprang out of their reach, shifting to his fighting stance. The talons slashed rampantly, a dark mist poured from the bell jar. Tiny bat wings grew from the top, flapping crazily to lift the deceivingly heavy jar from its table. "A heartless?!" He cried. The jar flipped and thrashed around, its talons slashing daringly at Riku. "No biggie! You'll go down just like the rest!"

"No! Don't attack it!"

"Huh?" Riku was stopped on the spot. A clock, teapot and teacup, and candelabra came hopping into the parlor in heavy pants. "Hey! You're those-" The heartless jar screeched piercingly. A flipped up and dove for the floor, splashing into a puddle of darkness. "WAIT!" Riku ran for the puddle. It dried before he was over it. He sucked on his teeth frustrated. "It got away."

"Blast it!" The clock fumed. He and his friends were equally disappointed. "So close! If only we had come seconds sooner! We could have-GRACIOUS!" The clock's top flew off, the hands on his face spinning out of control. "IT'S YOU AGAIN!" He roared, pointing accusingly at Riku. He grimaced at the sudden spotlight. _That was fast._

"Zut alors! This cannot be!" The candelabra ran his candle sticks down his face. He was dripping in wax. "What are you doing back here?!"

"You two know this young man?" The teapot asked in a motherly cherub voice. Riku doesn't know why, but hearing her speak kind of made him feel fuzzy.

"This young man and a young lady are the ones who stole Belle and Princess Snow White from our home!" The candelabra snarled. The teapot and cup gasped, cowering behind their two friends. The flames on the cadnle's head and hands grew. Riku took a step back, finding the heat from the fireplace at his back. _Cooked by a talking candle or fireplace? Alirah will never let me live this down!_ He dreaded. "He is also the one who attacked our master! Left him to die as he and his villainess cohort ran like cowards!" A vein clenched in Riku's brow. He'll stand for a lot. But being called a coward is a step too far. _Wonder how far you'd fly if I punted you like Wakka's ball?_

"We're ready for you this time, you-you-you scoundrel, you!" The clock put up his little dukes, prancing about, ready to scrap. Riku's stomach hardened as he tried really hard not to bust up laughing. "Come on and try to take our fair Ms. Belle again! I dare you!" He snarled like a rabid dog to prove he's ready. Though the shaking and tail between his legs were obvious.

"I dunno, Cogsworth." The little teacup poked from the teapot. "He doesn't look scary to me." Riku smiled tenderly. That's a good kid right there.

"I must agree." The teapot giggled, batting her eyes. "He's too handsome to be up to no good." This brought a blush to his cheeks.

"Don't let his looks fool you!" Lumiere hissed.

"Look, guys, I promise, I'm not here to kidnap anyone!" Riku said with his hands raised. "I'm here for-"

" _Cogsworth. Lumiere. Mrs. Potts. Chip. Where are you?!_ " A heavenly voice came from behind the door. Riku's nerves buzzed. _Belle?_ On another note, he finally knows these handy appliances' names.

"Ms. Belle, stay out!" The clock, Cogsworth, warned. "There is a dangerous man in here!"

In spite of his warning, Belle entered the parlor, gasping astonished by Riku's presence. "It's you!" She stated more in shock than rancor.

"Umm...hey there…" He dumbly responded. _Good job, Riku. Ever the greeter._ He chastised himself. At least someone rational was in the room. A lump lodged in his throat. An ominous shadow cascaded the parlor.

Stomping behind Belle, eyes glowing in the low lighting, was the Beast. He ducked below the low arch, coming in tall with a dangerous leer locking to Riku. His pupils narrowed to slits, a guttural growl reverberating in his chest. "YOU!"

"Oh...crap…" His stomach just ran for the hills. He thinks there might be bricks in his pants now. "Um...hey there...Beast. How's it going?" He dumbly waved. An imaginary hand slapped him upside the head. _I am terrible at this._

"HOW DARE YOU RETURN HERE!" He moved Belle aside, sprawling his hind legs to pounce. "Do not think this will go like last time, boy! I am ready for you and your partners!" He warned. Riku was about to plead that he wait when he registered that he still had Souleater in his hand. "Prepare yourself!"

"WHOA, BEAST! HOLD ON!" The beast charged. Riku sheathed Souleater and dove to the side. Beast's punch broke through solid stone above the fireplace mantel. Riku broke into a cold sweat. Thank goodness he's fast. But speed isn't going to cool this raging beast. Beast roared enraged, ripping his arm free and taking another chunk of wall with it. Cogsworth made a note of the repair needed. "Beast, please wait! I'm not here to fight! I'm just here to talk!"

"I will not be fooled by your schemes, boy!" Beast stalked side to side, limiting Riku's room to evade him again. He flared his claws, those monstrous biceps flexing. He can tear apart mountains with those things. "I bet you came here expecting to take us by surprise again, didn't you?! Divide us so you and that girl and snake can ambush us! Not this time!" He swept a hand, drawing a line there. "You will not have Bell again! And I won't let you leave this castle alive!"

"I'm telling you, Alirah and Hiano aren't here! I'm by myself!" He placed a hand to his chest, glancing to everyone so they would see he is sincere. "I'm not here to fight! I'm here to make amends for what I've done!" _And also find out how a bell jar becomes a heartless._

Belle was amazed by his confession. She touched a hand to her cheek. That sounded familiar to her. "Oh!"

Beast had captured Riku by the abdomen, slamming him hard to a wall. The wind was robbed from his lungs. The Beast's other paw clamped over his skull, nails digging as he started to squeeze. "I already told you, Boy! I will not be deceived!" Riku clawed at the arm, kicking and wrestling to get free. His skull was about to be crushed.

"Beast, wait, he's telling the truth!" The Beast's grip was relaxed in his surprise. Riku released a breath of relief. The house appliances gaped as Belle approached. Beast didn't release Riku, but lowered the hand on his head at Belle's behest. She bobbed her head with hands to her heart. "Riku? That's your name, right? Alirah's friend."

"Y-Yes." He stammered, still in fear Beast will crush him again.

"A while ago, she expressed wanting to be forgiven by us for what she had done." The prideful girl was practically brought to her knees under threats from Snow White and Cinderella. Aurora joined in the fun as well. Something about revealing embarrassing childhood tales. "Am I right in assuming that is why you are here too?"

"Y...yes, Ma'am." He blushed at being so formal. He's between a beast and a hard place. He won't burn what little bridge he has. Beast scowled disdainfully, though allowed Riku's feet to at least touch the ground. He kept his free hand ready to strike. "After what happened with Maleficent and Ansem, we had to make sure you and the other princesses were safe. And also…" He lowered his gaze to the floor, unable to meet her gaze, "We have to make right by you for attacking and abducting you." Belle shared soft, baffled expressions with the tiny servants. What he's saying didn't sound duplicitous. And, to give him the benefit of the doubt, he hasn't attacked anyone or caused a ruckus. If they recall from his previous visit, he is not the type of person to just willingly allow an enemy to pin him down.

"An apology?!" Beast slammed him hard to his butt. Riku's ribs, and now his butt, were sore. "Are you so arrogant that you think an apology will reconcile for what you've done?"

"If I was here to be arrogant I would have laid you out flat like I did before!" There's the first chunk of his bridge burned. The Beast seemed to consider it. He was growling humiliated from those truth hurts. Riku climbed back to his feet, dusting himself off. He kept Beast in his sights. He won't waver to him. Not now. "I'm here also to make sure that whatever darkness finds its way here it won't do any harm to Belle." He senses it everywhere in the castle. He sensed it even before he entered. This castle is plagued. And it has to do with that bell jar.

"The Darkness? Did Sora not defeat Ansem?" Belle whimpered fretfully. Did she and her fellow princesses fail?

"Of course he beat him!" What a ridiculous thing to ask. "You met him. Did you really think he'd fail?" He grinned with that inquiry. Belle was taken aback by his conviction, then fell into giggles. Her friends, even Beast, relaxed in her laughter. "It's not Ansem that's the problem. The heartless are just more active lately." He can't tell them about The Organization. The less they know the safer they'll be.

"Shouldn't Sora be the one to come and warn us." Beast stated curtly. "Why are you doing it?"

"Sora...umm...Sora's resting somewhere. Somewhere I can't speak of." He fumbled. In his effort to not reveal too much, doubts flooded the parlor, replacing the faith he was gaining piece by piece. It didn't matter. Riku doesn't care if they never trust him. He won't breathe a word of where Sora is, or about the Organization. And they'll have to deal with it.

"A likely story!" Beast drew a fist back. Riku lifted crossed arms, bracing for the impact.

"Beast, please!" Belle threw herself in the crosshairs, arms outstretched protectively. Riku gasped fearfully. Beast gaped and froze. The fist stopped inches from her face, a breeze brushing strands of her hair. Riku deflated breathless, clamping a hand over his eyes. His head was a whirlwind. How close that was. Belle would be splattered to the walls. That's one thing he doesn't need on his conscience. "Please wait!" Belle said again.

"Belle!" Beast gasped, staring between her and his fist. Lumière, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip were all huddled together, locked in their terror from that call.

"Belle, have you lost your mind?!" Riku spoke what everyone thought. She turned to him. His heart was pounding. "Sora went through a lot to save you! Please don't ruin his hard work." He'd hate to break the news that Belle was flattened when he wakes up.

"Riku," She tenderly addressed, taking his hands in hers. Riku went rigid, flushed by Belle's beautiful chocolate eyes, "Are Sora, Donald, and Goofy safe?" That is all she wishes to know.

"Absolutely." Riku nodded firmly.

Belle smiled softly. "I believe you."

"You do?" Beast questioned cynically.

"Of course." She assured him. "If he meant us any harm do you think he'd stand here pleading his case." Beast furrowed his brow skeptically, sneering at the flustered young man. He doesn't trust him. He won't ever trust him. Not after everything he's done. Belle sensed the negative verdict form everyone. She had an out. "Maybe there's a way you can prove yourself." She faced Riku. "You see, a few of our friends have gone missing somewhere in the castle. There have been creatures roaming the halls. We'd see them brought back unharmed."

"A rescue mission? Okay." He happily agreed. He's already on a search and rescue kick from Agrabah. Why not keep the high going? Belle nodded thankfully. She and her tiny appliance friends exited the parlor. They'll give him more details in a more open area. Beast huffed hot breath in his face, stomping out into the foyer. "Yep, off to a wonderful start." He sarcastically laughed at himself. Jasmine and Aladdin were a cake walk.

"Oh the faith you incur, Riku." Lightning shot down his spine. Unbridled rage burned within him. He whipped around, Souleater erupting into his hand. Standing in his notorious arms folded pose before the fireplace, Ansem, The Seeker of Darkness, grinned wolfishly to the trembling boy. "How touching that the princess you conspired to abduct rests faith in you so vehemently.

"ANSEM?! How are you here?!" He frothed at the mouth.

"Have you not caught on by now?" Ansem mocked. He flourished a hand. Riku cringed at a pressure pushed through him. At his feet he watched his shadow stretch. "Wherever you are, wherever you go," Ansem swept the hand up. Riku flinched back. The shadow peeled off, erecting tall in the shape of Ansem, "I will always be the shadow that walks behind you." Golden eyes flared open on the shadow. Riku's body jumped, but he stayed rooted. Waiting fro Ansem to stop playing and launch his attack. "As the light begins to fade, my presence will grow, my shadow taking life," Riku took an involuntary step back. Ansem stepped into the illusion, leaning in close, "And you will be unable to resist me." He snaked a hand for Riku's heart.

"Stay back!" Riku slashed his keyblade. Ansem disappeared, then reappeared several feet away. "You won't ever use me again! I won't be your puppet!" He declared.

Ansem chuckled unnervingly, almost falling into a fit at how naive he sounded. "A funny thing to say when you already are." Riku tilted his head, glaring defiantly. Ansem must have spent too much time in the darkness. Riku isn't his to use anymore. And he never will be. "Continue your fight, Riku. Put on a good show so that I may savor your conclusion." Ansem's figure dispersed into tiny flakes of darkness. Riku felt an empty void within himself fill, creating this nauseating pit inside of him.

"I'm no one's puppet. Those strings are gone." Riku declared heatedly. Maleficent, Ansem - his ties to them are completely severed. That shadow just now is nothing but a figment of his hesitating heart. He'll get it under control and prove him wrong. "I walk on my own, and move on my own terms." He moseyed for the door, able to see the dawn that he wants to reach. A small smile spread to his lips. "Just like you, Sora."

 **To be continued.**


	15. A Past Not Forgotten

**A Past Not Forgotten**

 **Here's a chapter to show I haven't let this die.**

 **xxx**

The whole of Kingdom Hearts' moon reflected in the fierce golden orange eyes fo Xemnas. Long has he stood atop his castle's tallest tower, reveling in the awe-striking beauty that contains his ultimate goal. His salvation. Every heartless that Xion and Roxas destroy, every single heart and a half that is collected - Kingdom Hearts absorbs the enormous strength found within the strongest hearts of man, utilizing every ounce to bring itself to full fruition. What he yearns for beyond the barrier keeping it from his reach, what Xemnas so desperately covets to embrace in his arms - closer and closer and closer does it make its way. On that day, when it does arrive, he will bathe in the power. And all will be brought to their knees before him.

' _Is it amazing, Big Brother?!_ ' A cherub voice echoed in the back of his mind ripped him from his thoughts. His perpetually stoic expression wrinkled in trouble. ' _So pretty..._ ' Amid the impish child's laughter, he saw a phantom of a young girl's smiling face. _Alirah..._ His chest tightened. The day he witnessed that smile. Her first spell. It was...a proud moment for her. She had it all planned. She begged them to come. He was...happy. He lowered his head, long grey bangs obscuring a sorrow from the all seeing eyes of the moon. _Why...do you still...vex me?_

"Xemnas." Saix appeared from the stairs. Xemnas naturally regained his composure, staring idly out to the land of nothingness he has cultivated. "Is all well?" The second in command stopped a few feet.

"Never better." Xemnas fibbed. He turned to face the luminescent Nobody, not at all surprised by his frighteningly reserved gaze. "I was merely lost in thought."

"Of what, might I ask." He tilted his head. He's finding Xemnas lost in thought lately.

"The past." He replied simply, though the bother in his tone did not go unnoticed.

"A dark, brooding place, I am sure." He half joked. Saix prefers the past stay where it belongs. Buried and out of mind.

"Not entirely. But yes." Xemnas agreed fully. Being a Nobody comes with many burdens. More than what any witless heartless has when it is born. The memories from their human lives linger. Haunt them in the night, and echo with the tiniest trigger. "It does tend to make one...become solemn. Even one without a heart to be solemn with." He touched his chest, taking a twinge of pleasure from his grim jest.

"And what, pray tell, would cause you to be solemn?" Saix took a step closer, pressing his offensive to his distracted leader. What toils brew within the mind of The Organization's most enigmatic member. More precisely, WHO causes his toil. "Though, I suppose, the more accurate inquiry is: what remotely attracts a _feeling_ of solemness?"

Xemnas chuckled menacingly at his second in command. He's a very persistent man. Sly in his inquisitions. Never one to skim just the surface or inches below. He delves deep into the underbelly, sloshing in the guts to find the source of the knots. If one's lucky he doesn't strangle them with them. "I will answer your question," He acquiesced, taking his own step closer. The height difference not at all intimidating, "When you explain what has you distracted as of late as well." He narrowed his eyes, searching for a chink in Saix's armor.

"I am not distracted. Our operatives are just lagging in their missions." He smoothly replied, betraying very little.

"Is that all?" Xemnas retorted skeptically.

"Yes!" The bite was unintentional. Saix's hard stare diverted in shame. He revealed too much. Xemnas remained stone faced, if not inwardly marveling at Saix's lost composure. What tortures him nearly marred him in Traverse Town. _How transparent you are._ "If you will excuse me." Saxi pardoned himself, quickly escaping in jaded stride.

Xemnas scoffed under his breath, bringing his attention back to his grandest creation. He traced his fingers white blue hue radiating off the moon. Incidentally did his fingers trace long blue locks wafting freely in the wind. Crimson orbs gazing lovingly to him. Xemnas laughed at his foolish weakness. Still does it linger. "The awe you inspire leaves a lasting wonder." He revered. "What a shame it will be to strip you of it." To see that amazement she so frequently displays dimmed forever. On that note, the sensation of a tiny person at his back brought on an old memory.

 **xxx**

 _Rabid grunting followed by strained snarls had Aqua, Ven, and Terra laughing. "COME ON! HURRY UP! LET'S GO, LET'S GO!" A very precocious and pushy five year old Alirah was shoving the hinds of Terra's legs with her back, all the while dragging Ven and Aqua by the wrists. She kept glancing up at the starry night sky, fretting over the position of the moon. "Can't you three move any faster?! We're gonna miss it!"_

" _Miss what?!" Terra laughed adoringly. He hasn't seen Alirah this excited since Aqua put those touches of her ice spell. Ethereal light ice shards that complement her fluid, graceful fighting style._

" _Yeah, seriously, Alirah, what's the rush?" Ven was tripping over his own feet being tugged. The little lady has a monster of a grip. She was going to pull his arm out of his socket._

" _The rush is you geezers are really slow!"_

 _Terra and Ven choked at being called geezers. Aqua laughed hard into her hand. Their faces were priceless. "Can't you at least give us a hint to where you're taking us? And what we need to see?" She pleaded. She was dying of suspense._

" _The dried up pond." Alirah announced with a beaming smile._

" _The one with all the dried up moss and scum in it?" Ven's voice cracked in disbelief. Alirah nodded her head rapidly. "What's so important there?"_

 _Alirah growling like a little kitten, grounding her teeth annoyed. If Ven was going to be so stubborn, then she was just going to have to convince him to double time it. "Hurry up and you'll see!" She gave up pushing and pulling Aqua, and just went to shoving Ven along. Terra and Aqua were in stitches at a 14 year old getting pushed around by a five year old._

 _As the name suggests, the old pond was a dried up spot forgotten a few years back. Water just stopped coming from the tri-peak boulders propped at a rocky cliffside. Just like the large rocks bordering the pond, crystallized calcium and disgustingly slick moss coated the spot. A little spit of water was inside. A good splash would get rid of it. The very brief ran from a couple nights ago left it moist, but did not breathe new life into it. Yeah, the grass was nice and green. But that pond had seen better days. And yet for some reason, Alirah had a strange urgent reason to bring them there._

 _Ven was pushed onto his stomach. He spat out the grass in his mouth, growling with vengeful thoughts at the squirrely five year old. She waited for the other two, then just stared at the sky. The moon bringing her ruby red eyes to life. "Okay…" Terra trailed a little impatiently, kneeling to his panting sister. "What's the big surprise?"_

 _Alirah shushed him with a hand to his mouth. "Hold that thought another second!" Just another second. It has to be in the right spot. Terra and Ven raised confused brows to Auqa, wondering if she can explain. She was just as confused. Alirah stood rooted, hypnotized by the full moon. It's cooling light slowly glazing over the Land of Departure, touching to the little bit of water in the aged pond. "There!" Alirah jumped from the grass, off of Ven's back, and into the old pond. She was careful to not step in the puddle, and sat on her knees._

" _Alirah, get out of there!" Terra ordered fretfully. "You could catch something!" She didn't listen. She gazed into the water, watching it ripple with the moon coming into it's view. 'Here we go.' She breathed in her mind. She was feeling extremely nervous, yet confident in herself. What she was about to perform - should it work - would blow their minds. Closing her eyes she cupped her hands into the little puddle. Terra cringed and went to stop her. Aqua extended a hand in front of him, urging him to wait. Alirah brought them all the way there for a reason. It wouldn't hurt to see for what._

 _Silent did she make the world around her. The distractions of rambunctious daily grinds freed from her shoulders. The whistling of the night are tickled her ear, sending bliss trailing down her back. The fresh air filling her lungs and coming from her mouth bringing her grounded body aloft, removing the tethers to the earth. Natures nurturing aroma wafting to her nose carrying her to plane outside of her own. The light of the night sky - the stars and moon - bringing to life a glow in her sky blue locks. Ven, Aqua, and Terra gaped utterly gobsmacked. A glow resembling that of the moon highlighted her body. Her hair fell from the ties, waving loosely in the flurry of her aura. The trio took a couple aghast steps back, granting room for whatever Alirah was about to perform._

 _The energy of the moon bathed into her flesh, filling Alirah with its blessed vitality. She took her hands, and the water within it, and with a mighty toss splashed it to the tri-peaked boulders ahead. At first the trio gasped a little sad that not much water made it to the boulders. Or that high. All that preparation for nothing. Then, after a few seconds, something amazing happened. Alirah extended both hands to the lightly drenched boulders. The light never fading from her. The spattered splashes stretched into thin glass like patches, coating the moist moss and flowing down. From the chill in the air, Aqua assured the boys it was ice. What for was the mystery. Then...it happened. The light of the moon around Alirah transferred in little fuzzy orbs to the coated boulder. The glassy ice lit up brilliantly, shimmering with an aurora of color, and then a flash exploded out and above their heads. A light drizzle of tiny moons snowed down. Terra, Ven, and Aqua spun in amazement, rapsing with half laughs of the mini moons drifting beside them. Aqua touched one and popped like a bubbles, glittering stars sprinkling to the grass. Ven popped a couple himself, then Terra. Alirah released the energy, thanking the moon for its gift. She sprang to her feet, clapping and giggling at her friends enjoyment. As the last of the moons and stars dissipated, Terra, Aqua, and Ven were left in awe of the shimmering light on the boulders, and the new dew on the grass. It was beautiful...and impressive._

" _See? Told ya!" Alirah placed knuckles at her hips, puffing her tiny chest out in pride. "And you guys doubted me!" She grinned proudly._

" _Yeah we did!" Aqua scooped up Alirah onto her back, bouncing her along. "When did you learn to do that?"_

" _I do a lot when you guys aren't looking!" Alirah hugged her tightly. "Can't let you leave me in the dust in our training, now can I?"_

" _Hey, hey, hey." Terra knocked on her head. "Don't let this go to your head! You've still got a long way to go!"_

" _Not too long from how amazed you are!" She stuck her tongue out. Terra blushed madly at the truth, but smiled nonetheless. She was growing up so fast. He could only imagine the woman she would grow up to be._

 **xxx**

"And a fine woman she's become." Xemnas, his cheek pressed to his knuckle, opened his deep bronze eyes to an all white room. Holographic chains stretching from the ceiling to beneath his throne radiated with a violet light. He glided his eyes to the armor lying on the floor. The armor Aqua used to save him in his plummet to eternal darkness

In the midst of his reminiscing, he retreated to the one room he knew would grant him the most peace. The chamber forbidden by all except him to enter. To the empty shell before him con her convey his deepest sins and know he will not be judged. Not vocally.

"That night…" He began, shaking his head with a light smile. "The sheer, radiant gleam in her eyes that night…" How pure it was. Not a single trace of malice showed in her precious face. A smile that could light a room flooded with darkness. "I cannot forget it. How about you, old friend?" He quizzed the empty armor. "Can you still see her? The extraordinary child full of curiosity and a longing for adventure, and the occasional feats of amazement?" Occasional, yes, and leaving a lasting impression. "How she would light up when she saw the stars at night, or admired your skills in magic?" She adored Aqua's magic prowess. She revered the elder keyblade master like a goddess. She'd try to mimic the spells, the ice ones, and would end up giving herself ten showers. "Her desire to leap into sparring sessions to prove her mettle against us." A little girl with a keyblade three times her size. It was a sight. "I can. As if I were standing there ten years in the past. I see her - our little protege." A tiny girl with a determination so strong that it would never break. It hasn't even bent. "Such a tiny, lithe figure with deceptively limitless power. The strength to rival that of our old masters. The potential to become someone or something great." A power many would beg to have, but she saw as a curse. "To see her grown up - the young woman she has become - is a true treat." He rose from the throne, approaching the armor with a sinister grin. "A treat, and a crying shame. For you see, my dearest friend, much like the three of us," He chuckled darkly, kneeling down and caressing the cheek of the armor, "Her destiny is to be devoured by darkness. And soon after," He slowly rose to his feet, heading for the door. He paused in the archway, glancing back with his grin firmly in place, "She will fade into the bosom of nothingness." He stepped out the door, and blackness consumed the room.

The armor was left once more in its prison, forever to remain in abysmal isolation. A ping of light flickered in the eye of the armor, dying out as it trickled down the cheek. " _A...li...rah._ "


	16. Childhood Memories

**Childhood Memories**

 **Ok! Finishing the three fics mentioned before is taking longer than I'd like. So to show I haven't forgotten you guys, here's a brief filler. Hope you enjoy.**

 **xxx**

 _ **Ten Years Ago**_

" _Come on, Sora! We're gonna miss it!" A six year old Riku fumed at the foot of his island's tallest hill. He's always having to wait for his best friend. Picking up his slack every second of the day. It's a good thing Sora is so much fun otherwise Riku would ditch him for someone cooler…no he wouldn't._

" _I'm coming!" A five year old Sora came stampeding out of breath, waving feverishly. He tripped on a stone protruding from the dirt, falling flat to his face at Riku's feet. Riku went blank in embarrassment for that lame entrance. Sora's head cranked from the dirt like a rusted joint. Dirt and snort on his face, white tears running from his huge white eyes. "I'm here…" He groaned sniveling. Riku sighed a mushroom breath in dismay. This is his best friend alright. He had to smile about that. He wouldn't want to watch a meteor shower with anyone else._

 _Tonight was the night! It was finally happening! The meteor shower the Mayor said was supposed to happen was only minutes away. The Island meteorologist noticed the sky was developing a strange hue every night for the past couple of months. The stars were moving, shifting in odd patterns. Their vibrancy increased little by little. Five shooting stars were seen in one month, and have gradually been falling at an increased rate. Tonight was the night he said there would most likely be a meteor shower. And Riku was going to miss it if Sora didn't hurry his butt up!_

" _Geez! What took you so long?" Riku fumed. Sora's always so slow._

" _Sorry about that. I had that weird dream again." Sora explained, dusting the dirt off his clothes._

" _The one about those people in armor?" The one where these warriors in this really cool armor are running across this weird desert, fighting off strange creatures...and an old man with golden eyes. Sora often sees a moon in the shape of a heart. The monsters are blue and dart everywhere in the blink of an eye. The old man is fighting the three armored warriors singlehandedly, and kicking their butts. One gets turned to ice, the other is thrown off a cliff, and the last one is stuck up top. But no matter how badly they're beaten down, the warriors got back up to fight him. "That's a cool dream."_

" _Yeah but…" Sora's pudgy cheeks slackened sadly. He fiddled with the bottom of his shirt, "It always ends so sad. They get torn apart...and…" In the dream, someone was crying. She was crying for them, "And there was a girl this time. She was really sad."_

" _A girl? You dream about girls?!" Riku snorted._

" _Shut up!" Sora blushed madly. He shoved Riku aside, marching up the hill._

 _Riku laughed out loud, teasing Sora halfway up the hill about the girl. Sora kept telling him to shut up, only getting Riku to tease him more. "So, tell me about her." Riku begged, really just to tease him more. "What did she look like? Was she cute?"_

" _I don't know if she was cute!" He puffed his cheeks. He doesn't care about that. "Her hair was blue! Like...sky blue!" He circled fingers at his eyes. "She had big red eyes. They turned gold once."_

" _Wow." Riku groaned, suddenly not very interested. "She sounds weird. Hope I never meet her."_

" _I think she looked cool!" Sora girnned._

" _Please. Anyone with hair and eyes like that has to be weird!" He scoffed haughtily. Definitely not his type. "Anyway, tell me about the guys in armor! What were they like? Did they have cool armor? What weapons did they have?" Riku went on and on with questions about the warriors. They're much cooler than some weirdo with strange hair and eyes. Sora and Riku found a prime spot atop the hill to watch the meteor shower, passing the time till it started with Sora's dream. The meteorologist didn't know when it would start, or if it would even be that night. All he knew was that within the next couple of days the sky would be filled with shooting stars. Riku and Sora didn't plan to miss a second of it._

 _Riku was lying on his back, hands behind his head, his eyes slowly falling shut in the late hours of the night. He tried to fight it. The sleep was too strong. He was about to succumb. "RIKU!" Riku flew upright in a panic, grass and dirt stuck in his hair. Sora was prancing with big starry eyes. "LOOK! LOOK! IT'S STARTING, IT'S STARTING!" Riku snapped his head up, and he was bursting with awe. It started with just a couple. These silver streaks shooting across the ebony sky, fading into the other stars. That couple evolved into a handful, soaring together and crossing one another, tracing the curved sky. Then, after a suspenseful pause, streams of stars flew across the night sky, basking the land below in their silver hue, entrancing the minds and hearts of all watching. "AMAZING!" Sora was floating._

" _SO COOL!" A few burst with a light before taking off. A bright twinkle to signal they were taking flight, and then they were gone. For what lasted mere seconds in the sky would last forever in their minds. "Huh…" Riku rose to his feet. He rubbed his tired eyes, squinting hard. One of the stars was acting weird. It was going bright and fading off and on, as if it were building the energy to take flight. It was strobing in a weird rhythm, like a light about to break. "Hey, Sora, look at that one."_

" _I see it. Is it broken?"_

" _I don't think stars can break."_

" _Maybe it's scared."_

" _They don't get scared either."_

" _Ok...then it's stuck!" Riku didn't have a counter argument for that one. "Huh? It's getting bigger!"_

 _Riku groaned irritably. He was about to tell him that stars don't grow. He bit his tongue. He couldn't believe it. Sora was right. The star was growing in the sky. It got bigger, and bigger, and bigger and… "Sora."_

" _Yeah?"_

" _It's not getting bigger! It's coming right at us!" Riku screeched. Sora gasped animatedly. A huge ball of glistening light was coming straight for them. Not at lightning speed like the rest of the stars in the sky. This one was cruising, slipping side to side as it came toward their hill. Riku and Sora shielded their eyes from the blinding star with their arms, backing away. The drifting star touched down right near their feet. It spanned and popped into hundreds of fuzzy orbs. In the bed of those fuzzy orbs...was a small person with reddish brown hair._

" _It's...a girl?" Sora squeaked. A very small, fair skinned girl. Looks to be about their age. Possibly younger. That came out of a star?! Stuff like that doesn't happen...right?_

" _The one from your dream?" Riku gasped._

" _No. That one had blue hair."_

 _Riku meant it as a joke, but was steadily realizing it might not have been meant to be one. A girl coming out of the sky? That would sound ridiculous. No more ridiculous than a girl with red eyes and blue hair. And seeing as he just saw this little girl come out of a star. "Hello?" Riku poked her. "Can you hear us?"_

" _Hello...strange girl." Sora cupped his hands at his mouth._

 _The girl groaned sleepily, her face scrunching. Her big blue eyes fluttered open. Her blurred vision gradually cleared under the shooting stars. Her head moved side to side, the sight of dirt, village homes, and two boys attacked the haze in her head. "Where...where am I?" Her high pitched voice reddened their faces. She pushed up on her tiny palms, holding her spinning head. Riku and Sora gave her some space. Her head caught up with the island she was seeing around her. The ocean, the trees, the strange homes - none of which she recognized. "What is this place? Who are you?!" She shrieked. Panic was setting in fast and hard. She scrambled to her feet, staggering away in hysteria. "Grandma! Grandma, where are you?! ALIRAH!"_

" _Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on!" Riku fanned his hands, approaching her cautiously._

" _Don't be scared!" Sora pleaded. He went up to her, his hands touching her arm. "We won't-"_

" _Get away from me! Don't touch me!" She slapped his hands away, retreating backwards. Her little feet knocked into each other. "GRANDMA! GRANDMA WHERE ARE YOU?!" She spun herself in circles looking for her grandmother and this Alirah person. Her sandals hooked on little rocks, her feet fumbling. The edge of the hill was at the back of her heels._

" _Watch out!" Riku went for her. He reached out, "The hill is-" He foot slipped on some loose rocks. She fell backwards, "Steep!" The girl hit the ground hard, falling into a full speed roll down the hill, crashing into a bush. Riku and Sora ran down after her. She was sobbing in a bed of thorns. She howled loudly, tears running down her cheeks. "Please don't cry! Here you go!" Riku and Sora helped her up, brushing the thorns off. She didn't have too many scratches, and the thorns only stuck to her clothes. She was fine, all things considering. Riku took out a jar of ointment, tracing a fingertip full to her scratches. "This takes the sting out." The girl sat still as he worked. The ointment was prickling her skin. It stung a little. But it was working. "There. That better?"_

" _Yes. Um…" She fiddled with her fingers, calming down little by little. "Thank you…" She squeaked._

" _You're welcome." Riku guided her to a bench, helping her sit down. He and Sora gave her so more space, wanting her to come to grips with where she is...and so they don't send her down another hill. "My name's Riku. This goofy kid here is Sora."_

" _Hey!" His girly voice cracked._

" _What's your name?" Riku ignored his outrage._

" _I'm Kairi." She managed a smile. "Where am I?"_

" _You're on Destiny Islands. Our home." Sora answered._

" _Destiny...Islands?" She doesn't know that place. "How...did I get here?"_

" _You just came out of this star from the meteor shower!" Sora animatedly answered, pointing at the sky._

" _It sounds crazy, we know, but it's true." Riku reassured her. Kairi froze in place, her eyes dropping and darting, scouring for a reason behind how she ended up in a star. Nothing came to mind. "Where are you from? How did you end up in a star? Here?"_

" _I…" She quaked, her heart pounding with fright, "I don't know!" She screeched. "I don't remember...anything! My home...what happened...nothing! I was playing...and then...nothing. I don't know how I got here." She started crying again, hugging her knees to her chest._

 _Riku and Sora exchanged fretful glances. They agreed to let the topic die for now. She doesn't seem able to talk about her home. "You were calling out for someone when you appeared. Your grandma and some girl."_

 _This got her attention. "Did...did my grandma or friend make it here?" She asked excitedly, grabbing Sora by the hands. He blushed bright pink. "My grandma was with me...but-but-but my friend disappeared...before all this." Whatever this is, and whatever happened. All she remembers is her friend was gone a while ago._

" _No. We didn't see your grandma. Or your friend." Riku regretted to say. Kairi whimpered with fresh tears in her eyes. Her lower lip quivering. Riku lost his nerve. He doesn't know how to handle crying girls._

" _Maybe they landed somewhere else!" Sora jumped in, turning her head to him. "The island is big, and there were hundreds of stars. They probably landed near here or around here." It's a possibility. And it got Kairi to smile again. Sora was earning points with the new girl. "What's your friend's name? What does she look like?"_

" _Her name is Alirah. She had red eyes and blue hair." Riku and Sora yelped, abject disbelief cracking their faces. "What's wrong?" Kairi's face twisted._

" _NOTHING!" The two screamed, raising their hands._

 **xxx**

 _ **Present Day**_

Riku's eyes flew open to a stormy sky. "OH MY GOSH!" He shot up on his hands, bracing himself for he wouldn't fall off Beast's Castle tower. Seemed like a good place to take a nap before he went inside. He slapped a hand to his head, shaking off the buzzing. It's been such a long time since he thought about the meteor shower that brought Kairi into their lives. But never mind that! This was bigger. "How did I forget? How did I not see it?" He pulled at his silver locks. How could he let something like this slip his mind? "SORA HAD A DREAM ABOUT ALIRAH!" He even described her golden eyes...and he never put it together when he met her. How did he miss that?! "Hold on…" He had to pause for a second. Something wasn't adding up. "How could he have a dream about her? We didn't even know she was real until Kairi came along." Then again, when he thought about it, it was impossible for people to be delivered by stars. "And the three people in armor…" Alirah talked about her friends from her childhood. They wore armor too. "Could they have been those people that came to our island all those years ago?" If that's the case, Riku had just one more question. "How did Sora dream about people we hadn't even met yet?"

 **To be continued.**

 **Nothing special. Just showing that I haven't let this fic die.**


	17. Into The Castle & Through the Woods

**Into The Castle**

 **( &)**

 **Through the Woods**

 **Moving on after so damn long.**

 **xxx**

Crisis seriously averted! Riku anticipated a hostile welcoming coming to Beast's Castle. But man did he escape by the skin of his teeth. Beast seemed ready to skin him alive and use his flesh as a new decoration. Brr! Roadkill would run in terror. Riku never believed your life would flash before your eyes. Here he is trying to remember is he ever danced with a girl named Loupee with loopy hair when he was seven. That's something he won't bring up. Ever. It sounds embarrassing. Right now he needed to stop obsessively checking his pulse. Although he, can't tell if it's still beating with the blood pounding in his ears. He's pretty sure that's a sign his head is going to explode.

Another thing that's got him riled up. Ansem. Or at the very least his shadow. From the moment he defeated that very shadow in Castle Oblivion, Riku has always been able to sense Ansem's will maintaining a firm hold on his heart. The very that he reached for in order to accept the _gifts_ he offered. His body teeming with dark powers that rivaled Maleficent's. The thin fabric that holds the worlds together was his for the tearing, and Sora would forever be second place to him. The abilities he was granted made him like that unto a god. Nothing could touch him, hurt him, or stop him. That is until he was stopped, and almost consumed. Ansem's malefic spirit choked Riku's, nearly perfectly melding with his own. His indomitable presence replacing his own. Neither word nor step was Riku's. Only Ansem's. Believing he put an end to that kind of evil so easily was a fool's dream. But a dream he wanted to hold on to. His original dream - He got to see other worlds. Why not hold belief that he can combat a being he allowed inside of him in the first place? Even now, in spite of Ansem revealing himself, assuring Riku that he would take over again, he still believes he'll pull through. He has to. If he doesn't...Sora will-

"Are you still with us, Dear?"

"Huh?! What?!" Riku was startled back to reality. _BAM!_ He wound up walking smack faced into a pillar. Mrs. Potts cringed, moaning in sympathy for that wallop. Riku pulled his face from the very pristine marble. "OW!" His whole nose was throbbing red like a cherry. "Aw-how!" He clutched at his face. As if his head doesn't hurt enough. Lumiere, Chip, and Cogsworth tried very hard not to bust up laughing. But that was a very much needed comedic relief. Barely in the west wing corridor and he's already getting hurt. Amazing how he missed that whole hallway of empty knight armor. At least he thinks they're empty. He felt like he was being watched. "Yeah! Pretty sure I deserve that one!" He grunted.

"Karma is unforgiving in her retaliations." Mrs. Potts motherly rubbed salt in his wound. Riku appreciated it nonetheless. Though she is being forgiving than Lumiere, Cogsworth, or the Beast. As odd as it is - and he'll stand by it - it's a comfort that he's being met with untrusting airs from everyone. It only means that he has to work extra hard to win their trust, and re-earn trust in himself.

"Hopefully karma will lighten up." Riku mumbled. _Seriously! I'm making an effort here!_ He snarled at the witchy phenomena. He got the foreboding feeling Karma was winding up something else. He'll avoid loose beams.

"Young man!" The clock waddled heatedly beside him. "Allow me to clarify something!" He demanded. Riku stopped with a foot on the stairs, arching a brow at the him. "You and that ruffian child from before are wishing to make amends for your crimes by revisiting everywhere that has someone you've wronged in order to clear your conscience?" Riku mulled over his very summarized version of their dramatic journey and bobbed his head. He got the gist of it. "PAH! A likely story!" If he had real feet he'd kick him in the shins for such a grievous lie.

"Now, now, Cogsworth." Mrs. Potts tutted. "If the boy meant harm like before he would have surely attacked by now."

"A trick by a wolf hiding in our sheep clothing!"

Mrs. Potts groaned irate at her friend's skepticism. Though it is not without merit, it's not necessary right now. "Please don't mind him, dear. He's always like this."

"Not a problem, ma'am. I'm expecting this sort of reaction." Easily shrugged off. Riku's felt worse from Sora. That boy can really make you feel guilty. Besides, as far as tempers go, Kairi's is the scariest. Riku knelt to her, extending a hand. "My name's Riku, by the way."

She giggled at his manners, lending him her handle. "A pleasure, Riku. You've met Cogsworth," She grunted at the pouting clock. The candelabra chuckled at how adorable he looked, "That is Lumiere."

"Bonjour." He blew out his candle before shaking his hand.

"And this is my son, Chip." She was of course speaking of the little tea cup skipping from her head to his shoulder.

"Heya there, Riku! Nice tuh meet ya!" He greeted rather excitedly. He was like a kid meeting a celebrity. Riku wondered how old he was. "Hey, hey, hey! Can you do magic tricks?"

"Magic tricks?" Riku repeated, not sure what he was asking.

"Like before when you were disappearing and moving real fast!" Chip tensed like a feral cat and launched like a torpedo right off Riku's shoulder. Riku lunged and caught him. The kid wasn't even phased by the fact he could have shattered on the carpeted stairs. "I saw the whole thing, ya know! With you and the master! It was so cool!" Riku went pale as a sheet. He's talking about the _magic trick_ that nearly left Beast at the reaper's door. _How does he think that was cool?!_

"Um...hey, tell ya what…" Riku laughed nervously. This is really not a demonstration he wants to show at the moment. "Why don't you tell me more about what's happening around here and I'll see if I can't pull a rabbit or two out of a hat." A lame trick, but one that should sooth the savage child.

"COOL!" Chip jumped, his little base wiggling like a puppy tail. Riku had to admit. That was cute. He and his company of house appliances made it up the stairs finally. But instead of heading in the direction of Beast's room - Riku will thank Karma for the sudden detour - Cogsworth politely requested the suits of armor at the right hand wall to grant them passage. Riku ogled the clock strangely. Passage to what and where? He should really learn to wait before asking stupid questions. The suits of armor twitched, erecting to attention. In complete sync they faced one another. Each extended a hand to the wall they guarded and their fingers slipped into crevices. Riku was amazed, and washed by musty air, by a secret passageway. This castle is more awesome than he gave it credit for. "Well, you already know, this place is pretty crazy right now." Chip began his tale. "I mean super crazy."

"Y-yeah. I've noticed." Riku followed after Cogsworth and the others. Lumiere's handy candelabra form lit the pitch black corridor in a warm yellow glow. A tunnel was leading somewhere further into the castle. That idea another castle will be below this one was on the front of his mind. Riku's not even sure if he should be surprised by what he comes across anymore. And yet there's always that one wonder. "What exactly has everyone so tense? And what happened to the friends Belle mentioned?"

"It's because the Master's Rose went missing."

"SSH!"

"CHIP!"

Chip yelped at Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts harping at him, sucking his lips and his childish slips in. Lumiere groaned with a candle to his face. "Rose?" A big secret by the looks of it. Lumiere looked ready to fry Riku for hearing about it. All of this panic over a...wait a minute! From before, in the parlor. There was a rose that was snatched up by a heartless that possessed it. "Do you mean that rose in the bell jar?" He gasped.

"You saw it?!" Lumière exclaimed.

"I did. Then heartless attacked me when I got close." He feels stupid for letting them get the drop on him like that. He was just...so entranced by that rose. The power coming from it. It's unlike anything he's ever seen before.

"Drat! Bested again." Cogsworth roared, slamming a bronze fist to a clock handle palm.

"Bested? You mean this has been going on for a while?"

"Those infernal creatures have been absconding with our Master's rose for days now!" He frothed at the mouth. "Taking it from one place in the castle to the other." The latest place being the parlor.

"We're burning candles on three ends tracking them down." Lumiere received deadpan groans at his irresistibly poor pun.

"What's so special about that rose?" Riku inquired.

Cogsworth folded his arms behind his back, shaking his head with moderate defeat. No point in keeping quiet now. Chip felt a little embarrassed with the glances in his direction. "As you've no doubt guessed from your previous visit, we are not ordinary household items." He gestured to himself and his friends.

"Yeah." They stopped in the tunnel. Riku knelt down, propping his back to the wall. "My friend told me you guys and the Beast were humans a long time ago. That a sorceress put a curse on you."

"Correct." Lumiere confirmed. "That curse demands that the Master find true love and earn it in return in order to break the spell."

"I'm guessing that's where Belle comes in." It's a wonder why the spell hasn't been broken yet. Those two clearly have it bad for one another. Maybe it's just for the sake of pride. "What about the rose?"

"The spell has a time limit," Mrs. Potts interjected ominously, "And that rose is the counter." Riku had to think back to his encounter with the rose. It's fuzzy, but he'd swear he saw petals at the bottom. "If our master can't find true love before the last petal falls, we'll be trapped like this forever."

Riku slipped a palm over his mouth. He was lost for breath, utterly remorseful for their predicament. He was trying to process the fate that has been forced on them. The Beast shuns a woman for being ugly, and is an all around jerk to begin with, and he and his servants become doomed to a life appliances, and a monster for his actions. The ultimate slap from karma, and he's complaining about running into a wall. "How long have you guys been like this?" He wheezed.

"Ten years." Mrs. Potts answered. "The petals only just began falling when the Prince turned 21."

Riku choked on the air. "THE PRINCE IS 21?" The hulking behemoth with the capacity to tear steel with his bare claws...is only 21? "Dang. I thought he was in his 40's or something!" That just begs the question on how old Belle is.

"It's the hair." Chip snorted.

"Hold on, hold on…!" Riku bobbed his hands. He really needed to know something else, and change the subject before he blows a blood vessel. "If the rose is so precious, how did he not notice it's missing?" Not that he's complaining, seeing as Beast likely would have torn him in half if he thought he'd stolen the rose.

"The castle has been ravaged by storms," Mrs. Potts jumped in, "Thus The Master has been busy repairing the roof and walls." The Beast did look sopping wet, and really fatigued. He must have been working on the castle today. "Unfortunately, his lack of attention to the rose…"

"I see." Riku storked his chin troubled. "The heartless got grabby and made off with it." No real master reason, or surprise, why they made off with it. The power coming off the thing must draw them in. Sure attracted Riku. He felt seduced by it. It's almost terrifying. "Do you know where they could have taken it?"

"The castle is large. It could have gone anywhere." Lumiere added.

"And that's how we lost our friends." Chip inserted the tragic twist. "We might live here, but not even we - or The Master - know this place inside and out."

"On top of locating the rose, we've set out to bring our friends back." Cogsworth proclaimed with rock hard determination. "And so long as we can help it, the Master must never learn the rose is missing."

"Wonder how much longer that will last." Riku mumbled under his breath. Something important like that, Beast has to keep it close at all times. The way Cogsworth and the others are blindly running around, The Beast will notice the rose is missing and this game won't end for weeks. "There has to be a better way of tracking the rose down…" He pondered out loud. The heartless are teeming in this castle. Riku can feel them crawling on his skin. But that rose. The power coming off it trumps their presence. "Hold on. There is." Why didn't he think of it before?

"What are you planning, Riku?!" Chip asked excited.

Riku set him down with his mom. "A curse counting rose surrounded by heartless." He drew a quiz for the boy. "You wanted to see a magic trick, Chip?" He bobbed his little teacup head. "I'm about to show you how you find a needle in a castle sized haystack."

 **xxx**

Xaldin's portal released him in a dense woodland. Stray rays of sunlight pierced the thick canopy above. He raised a hand to shield the poisonous light. His tolerance for sunshine and blue skies isn't what it used to be. The darkness is only where he can live comfortably. Given the circumstances, ending up in a forest with no marker to indicate his location wasn't what he'd consider comfortable. He sucked on his teeth bitterly. Backwater worlds like this aren't to his liking.

" _This_ world possesses those with strong hearts?" He sincerely doubted. Thus far, at first blush, the world was gorgeous with its abundance of evergreen forestry. The fresh, vivacious scent of nature that soothes one's muscles and rejuvenates old bones is definitely not to be missed in any lifetime. Or non-lifetime, as his case may be. But to be sent here on the premise that there are those with strong hearts was inexcusable. "Saix must be losing his touch." Xaldin groaned, itched the back of his head. He sighed tediously. Oh well, he's here. He might as well investigate for the day and then return to the castle.

"Hm!" Xaldin felt a shift in the darkness. The space around him was being distorted. Someone was coming from the corridors! He doesn't recognize them as one of his comrades. "Impossible! Another darkness user of this caliber?" Who is this person? And...why do they feel so familiar? Whilst he is fully capable of dealing with any interlopers that design cross his path, it is prudent to remain inconspicuous. Therefore he hid himself within the tall tree canopies, ascending the height was a torrent of wind ejecting him up. He pressed his back to the trunk, peering a part of the way to the clearing. Sure enough, right there in the center, another portal opened. Xaldin brow furrowed rancorously. This is not the portal of a Nobody. "Someone else is wandering the Darkness Corridors?!" He extended an arm from his back, summoning a lance and directing it right at the portal. This interloper will be skewered the moment they step out. No matter who they may be, they will die in regret having encountered him.

A strong pang came at the back of his mind. Xaldin gasped in the nostalgic essence filling him. His lance started to lower. The presence coming from the portal. He knows it. He retracted the lance, sliding behind the tree. Right as he obscured himself, a cloaked figure leapt out, landing to one knee. Xaldin sneered scathingly. The figure rose to their feet. By the physique it was a female. She was preoccupied with the scenery, unawares of Xladin. A person dressed as one of them? A pretender. He thought he sensed someone familiar, but instead he is graced with a sham. He readied his lance once more. The figure's fingers wrapped to the hood. He will look into the eyes of this fake and remove them. The hood was smoothed back. Xaldin used every ounce of his being to not gasp aloud. He felt the threads that permitted him to even take form come apart. His amethyst eyes so wide they would fall from their sockets. A shade of pure blue hair reflected in those wide orbs. When the figure turned in his direction, the radiance of ruby colored eyes pierced him like a barrage of lances. The sheen of the shoulder length sky blue hair glistened in the rays of sun peeking through the canopy.

It's impossible. That couldn't be her. Yet there can be no other with that appearance. "Alirah…" Xaldin remembered to breathe. To see a fully grown Alirah - when all that he recalls is the child with the adorable pigtails - standing in the middle of sunlight rays. He can hardly believe it. Granted he is perfectly aware that nearly ten years have passed. Surely she would have aged in that time frame. But to see her as the young woman now...if he were able to feel anything...there would be pride."Hmmm…" In the midst of his ogling, Xaldin was able to guide himself back to the subject at hand. "Most curious. She dresses as us…" There is no mistaking a cloak like that. It is definitely similar to what he and the others wear. "This explains why we cannot find her." The same must be of her protege...Riku, he believes his name is. He has been reported wearing their cloak as well. It is necessary when moving about the darkness. It prevents the creatures within from attacking them needlessly. And it also serves in blinding them from each other. "How did you come by this attire, Alirah? Who gave it to you?" It would have to be someone with knowledge of their organization and their methods. Who besides him and the others would possess this knowledge?

"Hmm…" Alirah briefly meandered in a circle. The forest didn't have major landmarks, or any sort of deviations to reveal where she was. "This looks familiar." More than looks. It felt familiar from her time in Castle oblivion. She might have landed in this exact same spot back then. Alirah had to giggle at herself. "And Namine said she only toys with Sora's memories."

"Namine?!" Xaldin minded himself with his gasp. His fingers balled into tight fists. _So she did encounter the little witch._ Then perhaps she is the reason behind her disappearance. The Organization lost track of Namine after their cohorts were eliminated from Castle Oblivion. Until now, her disappearance remained a mystery. Though it was always assumed she had accomplices in her escape. Lo and behold, one of the cohorts admits to her crime.

Alirah tilted her head back, letting the vibrant aroma of the forest fill her lungs. "Even the smell of the forest is the same." It brought a blush to her cheeks, and sort of made her feel a little lonely. She is, after all, in a beautiful forest all one her own. "Riku, I wish you could be here with me." She moaned, rubbing her arm. She's really missing her boyfriend. "I don't think you and have ever gone to a world to just stop and smell the...roses…" There off to the side, there was a rose growing. It looked like the one Terra made her years ago. The one she infused with her Wayfinder. She cupped her hands to her heart. "Donald, thank you for holding on to it." On the promise that she would return, Alirah left her precious gift from Aqua with Donald, telling him she fully intends to get it back.

" _HI-HOOO~~~_ " A distant, yet very loud, bellow halted her train of daydreams.

"That sound…"

" _HI-HOOOO~~~_ "

"Yeah! I recognize that! It's singing!" Not just any singing. The seven dwarves' singing. Snow White's best friends. This is the Dwarf Woodlands after all. "That's right! The mines are nearby! The little guys work there!" That's her start. Time to go bow her head and apologize. Alirah took off for the singing, starting to get sucked into it herself.

Xaldin floated to the ground in whispers of wind, hands behind his back as he admired the girl vanishing in the forest. Beside her was the phantom of her former child self. Till this day, she take off with a purpose. "She's grown...she's grown so much. I suddenly feel old." He mocked himself. Old or not, her arrival is fortuitous. It spares him a great deal of searching.

 **xxx**

Riku had his eyes closed and his chin tilted upward. He took in a long breath through his nose, collecting the conglomerate of aromas that have tainted the old castle's walls for several upon several years. Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip ogled him strangely. "Is he...smelling the air?" Chip whispered to his mom. She wasn't sure if she should answer or not.

"What a strange boy?" Cogsworth scratched his decorative head. Lumiere bobbed his head in hearty agreement.

Riku willed himself open to the darkness soaked into every crevice and crack, allowing it to slither gently over him in a coating. His stomach curdled in nausea, skin rife with little bumps as the miasma seeped into his skin. He fought off the crippling urge to double over. What he sought was on the bridge of his nose. No pun intended. The aromas within the castle took him on a walkabout, giving him a grand tour of this magnificent castle. He was able to see, feel, and experience the fortress. The withered and worn rooms that reminded him of Sora's room. The suits of armor were...kind of weird. A kitchen that looks like it hasn't been used since an enormous party. Dungeons and tunnels rife with the energies of those who sought to escape this place. His palm brushed the coarse stone work of the wall. A frigidness seeped right into his glove, causing him to flinch in fear of getting frostbite. Portraits decorating the walls that were either broken, shredded, smashed, or a combination of the three. One in particular was of a young man...with familiar blue eyes. Riku felt extremely light, yet also oppressed by a heaviness the deeper into the castle he journeyed. The history riddled in this place was pulling him, wanting him to see and smell for himself the turmoils and torments this place had suffered. And as much as he wished to understand this place and its residents better, there is a mystical rose that needs to be found. Riku refocused himself, searching for the scent that would end this wild goose chase.

The air from outside managed to find a way inside the tightly sealed castle carried the smell of the snow drenched forest inside, tickling his nose with the cooling touch of winter. Musty antiquities dating back to who knows what period of time in this world. Dilapidated curtains and walls in dire need of refurbishing. Wood infused with all sorts of moistures and mold from years of abuse from the weather. Dust caked columns and knick knacks that haven't been cleaned...ever. The marble comprising a majority of the floors, pillars, railings, and small statues had a richness to it. All of it the superficial ambiance of the castle. What he seeks lies beneath those scents. Where the darkness moves freely without hindrance, and without causing those who lack the foresight to spot them from reacting. Hell, even those with superior senses have a hard time find them. Nevertheless, they can't hide from Riku. Because...there...nestled above...was the scent he sought. Darkness with a pure essence...in a room on the furthest left side.

Riku opened his eyes, gasping taken aback. "What the…" He shivered. This was impossible. He hadn't moved from his place in the hallway. He looked around in amazement. He would have sworn he just perused the entire castle just now. The wall from before...he touched it. And it's not the one he's standing next to. That one was rough. This one was smooth. It took his breath away. "Did...did the darkness just...let me see the castle?" He muttered to himself. He placed a hand over one of his eyes, ensnared in a disbelief. He was terrified by what had happened...but very excited. His train of thought was halted when he heard clattering next to him. The appliances seemed concerned. He was looking a little pale. "Oh...uh...sorry." He rubbed his neck. He zones out too much. Least it wasn't for nothing. "I think I know where the rose is." The appliances' eyes widened with hope. "It's...on the west side of the castle...kind of up. This place has an attic, right?"

"Yes indeed! Four, actually!" Cogsworth kind of let his composure slip and became too excited. Riku arched his brow. He questioned why one place needed four attics. "The attic you seek is just through the Master's room. There's a room that connects."

"Alright! There's a concentration of darkness there. The rose has to be there." Riku would bet Souleater on it.

"Splendid! Let us be off then!" Lumiere led the charge. The hopping appliances were leaving Riku in the dust. He had to laugh at how excited they were.

"Forte isn't going to like that there are monsters in his hall." Mrs. Potts shuddered.

Chip had an acid reflux at the thought. "Not one bit."

"Forte? Who's that?" Riku arched a brow.

"Maestro Forte is the Court Composure of the castle." Lumiere explained. "With his protege, Fife, they created beautiful music that used to fill these halls." The only thing that fills these halls these days is yelling from Belle, roaring from Beast, and clattering from the others in the castle trying to keep the place from falling apart around them.

"Are they talking objects too?"

"Everyone is." Chip answered with a note of sarcasm. He's astonished Riku can still ask if anyone, besides Belle, was human in this castle."But Forte is stuck in the attic in the West Wing because of the form he's taken."

"What is he?" Riku asked curiously.

"He's a pipe organ." Riku raised a brow. He's trying to imagine that. Being stuck as a big piano, unable to move anywhere you wanted - he's going mad just thinking about it. " But who cares about Forte. LET'S GO GET THE ROSE!" Chip took off like a rocket.

"Hold on!" Riku hooked by his his handle, bringing the others to a skipping halt too. Riku motioned his hands for them to relax. "We're rushing the gun here, guys. We need a plan!" He urged. From experience, simply going in halfcocked because it's only heartless gets people hurt fast. And causes more damage than what was needed. "You guys said whenever you get close, the heartless take it again and hide it."

"That's right." Cogsworth folded his stubby arms, not seeing what that has to do with anything. Riku said he found the thing. Why would he want to stop when victory is theirs. The element of surprise was THEIRS.

Riku knelt to them, setting Chip on his knee. "The heartless may act mindless, but they can surprise you with spurts of genius." Them absconding with the rose for days now is proof of that. Riku stroked his chin."We'll need to play this a different way."

"How do you mean? Do you have a plan?" Mrs. Potts pressed animatedly.

He just might. "The heartless aren't unlike kids. If they know they can toy with you, they will." They pranked him and Alirah constantly back at Hollow Bastion. "But they really hate it when you stop playing their games."

Chip's head exploded with confetti. "OOH-OOH! I KNOW THE PLAN!" He screamed. Riku touched two fingers to his little mouth, silencing him with his own finger to his lips. Chip bobbed his head, calming down as he was allowed to speak. Mrs. Potts and the other two gawked at the boy with intrigue. They're missing the point here entirely. "Momma, he's saying we need to pretend to quit! It'll annoy them!"

"Exactly." Riku pet him in congratulations. "It might even get them to drop the rose."

"A game?!" Cogsworth scoffed. "That's how you plan to get our Master's rose back?!"

"Do you have a better idea?" Riku challenged him. Cogsworth sputtered a second, frothing at the mouth for a comeback but ultimately went silent. His cheeks were bright red. "I thought so. Now let's go." Riku let Chip off, then proceeded for the West Wing. Lumiere pat Cogsworth on the back, praising him for a nice try and cursing him for not thinking before he spoke. Cogsworth waddled off with a pout, grumbling profanities under his breath. "Hmm…" Riku rubbed his shoulder.

"Is something the matter, Dear?" Mrs. Potts fretted.

"Nothing…" He reassured her with a small smile. "Just got his feeling is all." He snuck a glare behind them though, feeling the shadows encroaching. It didn't go unnoticed that there was a golden eyed figure ducking behind a corner. When it stepped into the stray beam of moonlight entering from a window, luna blue lock glistened in the light, and the golden eyes hardened in their malevolent glare.

 **xxx**

Regardless of how often the mines are excavated, the Dwarves always managed to bring out an enormous haul on each trip. Never let the little guys' work be disparaged. They are monsters. Already noon and they've excavated 20 loads. They might need to exercise caution, though. They don't want their mine to run dry. Today, however, they are working extra hard due to Snow White offering her services to them for the day. She and her animal friends are bringing fresh water and food, and helping out with their equipment as far as keeping it clean and looking for loss of durability. Emotional support is offered as well. She always seems to light a fire under them. Of course it had everything to do with them being head over heels for her. A shame she's already taken by Prince Charming.

That aside, the other reason behind their extra work is because an order has been put in by folks from the nearby towns. Thanks to Snow White and Prince Charming, the Dwarves get business for their work. Though being hermits served them for a majority of their lives, it was a good feeling of accomplishment to have the townsfolk take an interest and reward them for their work. So who are they to disappoint?

"Happy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sleepy - I'm back!" Snow White announced herself. She and her animals friends came in with a wagon of food for their hard working friends. The four Dwarves swarmed her, cheering at how much of a lifesaver she is. Beef and potato stew with fresh veggies cooked inside, buttered bread, corn on the cob, and gooseberry pie for dessert, and the apple juice to tie it all together. She readied their plates with freshly made apple juice. "Eat as much as you like. There's plenty."

"Thanks for your help, Princess!" Happy was cheering, then shoveled food into his mouth. "AH! AMAZING! You make the best food!" His blushing friends had to agree.

"Not a problem at all." Snow White giggled, pleased she does a good job. "It's the least I can do for you for all that you've done for me."

"Just don't push yourself." Grumpy warned her in his typically curt manner. "We don't need you workin' yerself tuh death!"

"Yes, sir!" Snow White gave him a cute salute, making him blush. She made sure the four dwarves were fed before making herself a plate. The animals kept to their own food.

Black boots stepped on scene, a pair of lips stretching into a smile. Hands rested on hips. "So this is where Princesses hang out now?" The four dwarves and animals jumped out of their skin, while Snow White whirled around with the biggest smile on her lips. Her eyes gleaming at Alirah. "What's up, Snow? How are things?!"

The Dwarves were reaching for their pickaxes, grimacing at the clad in black stranger. Snow White knocked over her food and juice, darting at a amazing speed that took everyone by surprise. "ALIRAH!" She tackled the girl with such a fierce hug she almost lost her footing. Snow White must lift weights or something because she lifted Alirah a whole foot off the ground. The Dwarves had sweat drops hanging at their heads."Oh, Alirah, I've missed you so much! I was so worried when I heard you disappeared!" In the midst of her suffocating, Alirah was able to be shocked rumors of their disappearance reached so far. She probably has Leon and the others to thank for that. Snow White ended the hug, not even letting Alirah have that sweet intake of air before smother her with invasive hands. "Where have you been?! Are you eating properly?! Have you been getting enough sleep?! You're not working too hard are you?"

See, between Hiano always slithering around her body and Riku tickling her every chance he gets, Alirah is relatively immune to the intruding hands inspecting her. That doesn't mean she was going to let herself be violated much longer. She grasped Snow White's hand, easing herself to a safe distance. "Yes, Mom, I'm eating and sleeping fine." She giggled, fixing her cloak. "And I've been all over. I have a long list of apologies to make, you know." She winked. Snow White hasn't forgotten. But she doesn't remember Alirah dressing so...abysmally. "Oh, this? It's nothing special. Just a cloak to help me get around." Snow White bobbed her head, undecided if she believes her or not. She does know, though, she thinks Alirah looks better in pink and purple. Dark colors make her look menacing. "You're looking good, Snow."

"As do you." Snow White had to admit, in spite of the drab color.

A clearing throat interrupted their reunion. The four dwarves stalked in cautiously, their pickaxes stiff at their sides. "Princess?" Grumpy crossed his to his chest protectively. His grisly glare had Alirah take an involuntary step back. _Why are they about to kill me?_ "Who is this girl?"

Alirah gasped to herself. _That's right! They don't know me!_ How could she have forgotten? She met the memory version of these guys Namine conjured. They don't know about the adventure she took with them. Alirah approached them with a warm smile, minding the fact that they had sharp tools in hand, and gave them a curtsey. "It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Alirah, one of Snow White's friends." The Dwarves were absolutely transfixed by her. Snow White applauded the grace in her curtsey with an astonished expression. She didn't think she had it in her. Alirah didn't think so either. Guess she remembers a few things from her days with Yensid and Mickey.

"Oh, yes!" Happy chimed in, slapping a fist to his palm. "The Princess spoke of you and another young man. Riku, I think his name was." Alirah was taken aback, glancing to Snow White. _She talks about us?_ "She had a lot to say." Alirah shivered in fear. She isn't so sure that's a good thing. "I'm Happy. This here is Sleepy, Grumpy, and Dopey." Each of them waved...except for Grumpy. "It's nice to meet one of Princess Snow White's friends." Alirah bashfully tucked hairs behind her ear. She isn't too sure she can call Snow White her friend after what she did to her. Snow White's giggle made her heart skip a beat. She certainly thought of them as such. It succeeded in making Alirah blush happily. Snow White's friend...a devil befriending an angel. The worlds have changed.

 **xxx**

From within the forest canopy, spying just yards away from the forest line, Xaldin spied on the merry group and their reunion, rather impressed by how smoothly these introductions have gone. "You still make friends wherever you go. It'll be a shame to lose that charm when you become one of us." Though he is rather surprised her charm worked so well.

Xaldin has heard the whispers on the wind. Seems as though the dashing young boy Riku and his beloved Alirah caused quite the ruckus with this fair skinned maiden and her dwarf sized companions. Kidnapping, assault, emotional traumas - my how things have changed. And to think Xaldin had the pleasure of being sent to this world out the hundreds of others to witness this. Could it be Saix knew she would be here? Or is this just a happy coincidence? If either prove to be the case, Xaldin has to wonder what Saix was up to next. After all, the Lunar Diviner wasn't fooling anyone. Least of all him. When he tried to divert the topic off the boy Riku, there was noteworthy intrigue in his eyes. An almost cat like curiosity that he will undoubtedly act upon. "What, oh what, sort of entertainment awaits us as we proceed towards our goal?" This might actually be fun if Saix is planning on leaving the castle to investigate. He's tingling in anticipation so much he was licking his lips. "Do not disappoint, Riku...Alirah…" He growled menacingly. "We don't take kindly to disappointments."

 **To be continued.**


	18. Mirror, Mirror - Attic Brawl

**Mirror, Mirror - Attic Brawl**

 **I'mback. Let's do this.**

 **xxx**

Snow White plated Alirah some food. She and The Dwarves insisted that she join them for lunch. A chance to relax and catch up on what they've all been up to since Hollow...Hollow...garden...Bastion...RADIANT-GARDEN! _Why is that becoming so hard to remember?_ Alirah wished to abstain. She just wanted to make sure Snow White was doing alright, and to do see if she can fulfill her promise to do whatever Snow White desired in order to make up for abducting her...traumatizing her...and nearly letting her be used for a supremely dark purpose. She really is a terrible person. Snow White and the Dwarves wouldn't hear of it. They made her a spot, sat her down, and shoved the food and water in her hands. Alirah, as stubborn as she is, was still protesting. Eventually she had to give in. Snow White gave her the most adorable puppy-dog face and she crumbled. She's becoming so soft these past few months. _Minnie is going to walk all over me._

Lurking in the shadows of the forest canopy was Xaldin. He had found the perfect perch from where he can watch this heartfelt moment unfold, and have the wind bring him every whisper that leaves their lips. The key to reconnaissance is the very scarce virtue known as patience. Xaldin is a master of this virtue. His ability to linger in one single spot for a ridiculous amount of time and remain interested in the target of interest astounds and boggles the mind. It might be because he knows the best vantage points from which he can play creeper. Seated to a branch high up in a tree was all the more perfect because he knows that no one would be able to spot him from there. Not even Alirah with her sixth sense for beings of darkness. he's grown quite fond of this mission assigned to him. Sure, he is meant to find strong hearts for their purpose, but who says he can't gather intelligence on one of two of the Organization's targets. This way, when the time comes, he will have learned Alirah's strengths, her weaknesses, who and what her lynch pins are, what triggers he may stroke to bring down her walls. It will all fall neatly into his lap.

"How is Riku?" Snow White broke through the small talk and dove into the juicy gossip. She's just dying to know all about the dashing young man with his hooks in Alirah's heart. It lifts her own to know Alirah's hasn't gone cold to romance.

"He's...he's fine. Great even." Alirah replied with a rosy blush. She shoveled some food in hopes of quieting the beating in her chest. "He's grown a lot stronger. Stronger than me if we ever had to cross swords." That's a day she'll postpone. She hasn't quite gotten over ANsem possessing him and leaving him to die. "He's still a bit of a brat, though." Her tone quickly changed to a huff. "He's always getting into trouble when I'm not around. And he's always teasing me." She hates it when he make fun of how short she is. And the man can never just go somewhere without causing problems. Alirah's puffy cheeked rumination was interrupted by Snow White giggled into her hand. She was laughing so hard her food almost exploded out of her mouth. "What?!" Alirah hissed, not seeing what is so funny.

Snow White motioned a hand, begging Alirah to give her a moment. She needed to catch her breath. "The last time...I saw such a face on you…" She had to set her food down. She was clutching at her stomach with laughter. The Dwarves worried she might faint with how hard she was laughing, "You were enamoured with Terra. He was your knight in shining armor." She cooed tauntingly, putting her cupped hands to her cheek and batting her eyes. Alirah cried out mortified, her whole face heating up like a thermometer. Her gaping mouth came with a strained squeak. "It was so cute how you'd be shy and hide behind him. Do you act so cute with Riku too?" She's dying to know.

Alirah ground her teeth together with a high pitched whine. "Snow! Cut it out! I'm not a little kid anymore! I don't need to hide!" She pouted, her cheeks going even redder. "Least of all behind Riku!" She drew that line in the sand right then and there. She doesn't hide! Snow White was slapping her knees know. Alirah growled animally, balling a fist she wished she was depraved enough to cross on the soft face. OH-HO-HO! She is enjoying this! The devious pale skinned minx! She's torturing Alirah to get back at her...and she is obligated to sit there and take it. "Now what?"

"He's really captured your heart, hasn't he?"

Alirah was really getting sick of her teasing. She has half a mind to give her the silent treatment. Which would be a glorified yes for her. So Alirah did the only thing she could. She gave in. "Yeah. I fell hard for him." She answered with a solemn expression, letting her mind wander into her food. "Riku had skills unlike anyone I'd met. Not only that, he was really accepting." Accepting to the point that Alirah was scared he had some sort of mental illness. The kid did not scare easily. "Here's this kid from an island - the strangest thing he see's are turtles…" Turtles, apparently, aren't normal around his island. Kinda weird. Alirah saw baby turtles all the time back at the land of departure. They were bred in the little ponds, "And he's coming to grips with a horned woman, an octopus lady, an Arabian Vizier with a talking parrot, a sack of bugs, a pirate captain a croc complex, and a Greek God with remarkable anger issues like he was at a costume party." The first time Alirah met them she was scared out of her mind. Not just because they tried to kill her when she first arrived. "His face when he met Hiano, though, was hilarious." She will never forget that one. "Then, as time went on, and he started to become accustomed to being with us, his want for answers, knowledge, and power knew no bounds." Snow White and the Dwarves got closer, leaning in on elbows as they became more engrossed in her tale. "He confronted me countless times when he sensed I was keeping secrets. Pressured me for an explanation. And if I even tried to turn away, he'd come at me with everything he had to make me fess up." She learned real quick not to hide things from him ever again. "I tried hard to hide what I am and what I've done from him. He just wanted to know more." One of his most adorable, if not irritating, qualities. "Then Ansem possesses him. He's about to be swallowed by the same darkness he and I learned to command. He breaks free and comes back stronger than ever." Something her friends - Terra more so than anyone - wasn't able to do. He's...amazing. Beyond words amazing. There will never be anyone else like him. "He vows to walk the road to dawn. And I want to be with him when he reaches it."

"Aww…" Snow White went over and wrapped her arms around her, snuggling their cheeks together.

"Ugh...Snow…" Alirah let the hug happen, keeping her arms spread unsure of what to make of this.

"Alirah, I'm so happy for you!" She squeezed harder. "You have your own fairy tale in the making."

"Snow...come one...you're embarrassing me!" Alirah begged her, going limp in her embrace. She wishes someone would just come and kill her. the Dwarves getting a kick out of her misery only added to her shame. This delicate princess had this tough warrior wrapped around her little finger. _Man! When did I become so soft?_

 **xxx**

Xaldin, still up in his tree, was chuckling like mad behind his hand. "What a pushover you are!" He mocked her. "After all this time, you are still so easily swayed by those you care for." There was a malignant purr on his words. He licked his lips hungrily. He can use this.

 **xxx**

"Snow, I actually have a second reason for being here." Alirah dropped the ball gently on her, turning the mood serious. Snow White and her handful of dwarves gazed at her concerned, "Have any of you met a boy named Ven, or a girl named Aqua? They were friends of Terra's."

 **xxx**

Xaldin's body went rigid. His stoic demeanor slackened into a mild familiar shock. _Ven..._ he's heard that name before once long ago...a whisper on the breeze. It's been quite a while...but he recalls who this boy is. _The friend whose return Alirah awaited._ A fellow Keyblade wielder if he recalls correctly. He furrowed his brow, leaning in on a folded leg with intrigue. _Why are you here for him?_ Has the boy gone missing? Is he in hiding? Or is it more?

 **xxx**

Aqua told her and Terra years ago that Ven left home to go find Terra. No real idea as to why. Snow White quickly explained who Terra was, and how she knew him. The Dwarves bobbed their heads, finding this story sounding familiar. "It would have been ten years, but they aren't hard to forget." Alirah dares anyone to look her in the eye and say they don't remember Terra, Aqua, or Ven. "Ven was about yay tall," Her height, actually! HA! She wishes he was around to see if she managed to get taller than him. "He had messy blond hair, and was kind of an oddball. Really trusting and friendly, but awkward. Aqua was taller than I am now, had a darker shade of hair than mine. Both of them had key weapons like this." She summoned her Keyblade, getting the four dwarves to jump out of their skin. Not in fright, though. They'd know that weird weapon anywhere!

Snow White felt something strike the back of her mind as well. "Ven…" She recognized the name, and the boy who went with it. "Yes! Yes I met Ventus. He saved me from monsters in the forest. It was right after I met you and Terra, actually." Alirah gasped in astonishment. _Right after? Ven was here...the same time as us?!_ Snow White had taken off after the Unversed attacked. Ven missed them by a few minutes. "He was very kind to me. I'm afraid Aqua and I didn't have much time to become acquainted." She regretted to say.

"We did." Happy raised his hand. "All of us met them both."

"We...sort of accused Ven of being a thief." Grumpy bashfully admitted, running his hand down the back of his neck. His brothers groaned with a similar shame. Alirah raised a brow at them, curious as to what possessed them to make such a claim. "He just walked in on our diamond cave! No rhyme or reason, and scared the dickens out of us!" Alirah awed at them, bobbing her head in complete understanding. _I'd make that assumption to._ Ven never was graceful. And he always charged in without thinking. _To think that kid took off after Terra._ "Anyway, the kid said he was lookin' fur yer friend Terra. We didn't believe 'im...but now we see we shoulda…" He trailed off somberly. "Not that we would've been much help then, or now. We just told him to go to the castle so he'd stay away from the Princess."

"Sorry…" Sleepy sniffled.

"Don't apologize!" Alirah urged them, waving her hand pleadingly. "I would have done the same thing if some weird boy walked onto my turf." She didn't mean to make them feel bad. It is clear, though, that Terra and Alirah must have left before Ven had a chance to come looking for them. Made her seriously begin to wonder - considering she and Terra ran into Aqua - how many misses did they have to be reunited before going their separate ways on...on...Ra-Ho-Di...RA-DI-ANT-GAR-DEN! _What is going on?!_ "What about Aqua?"

"It's thanks to her we were able to save Princess Snow White…" Sleepy stated between worded yawns. His worn eyes barely able to stay open one at a time, let alone together. "She... _yyaawwnn_...found Charming and sent him our way."

"Saved her?" Alirah's heart skipped a beat. "Did something happen?"

"The evil queen disguised herself as an old woman and poisoned an apple she had given to Snow White." Grumpy gruffly summarized, blood still boiling after all this time that they let that happen right under their noses. "The curse on the apple would leave Snow White asleep until true love's kiss woke her up."

"Charming…" Alirah guessed.

"You bet!" Happy jumped in animatedly. "Aqua found him, sent him our way, and then he kissed Snow White and she woke up!" Alirah went red cheeked again, but this time because she absolutely adored that fairytale ending. She's so happy for Snow White. "But after that, your friend said her goodbyes and left. We never saw either of them after that."

"I see." Alirah sank partially. Guess she can't really expect it to be that easy. Two worlds down...20 more to go. That's not going to discourage her! She can take solace in the knowledge that this isn't where their rift worsened. _Or could it have..._ Alirah remembered back in Enchanted Dominion that she got similar accounts from the Fairies and Aurora, and wound up seeing shapes and shadows in Maleficent's old castle that...opened her eyes. Something similar might happen here. For now, that was that. Nothing else to ask if they don't know anymore. Alirah finished eating, finished her water, and then...noticed something odd. One, two, three, four dwarves. That doesn't sound right. "Aren't there supposed to be seven of these guys?" She could be wrong.

"Good point." Snow White was realizing she's three short too. "Where are Sneezy, Bashful, and Doc?" Alirah bonked a hand into her palm. _Those are the ones!_ She's been silently trying to say all the names of the Dwarves in her head. She'd always forget one.

Trouble spread through the four dwarves. Concern draped to their pudgy faces. They looked to one another, growing anxious. "They haven't come back with Prince Charming yet." Grumpy answered with an ominous edge in his tone. "They went to the Queen's old castle." BY the sounds of it...they should have been back by now.

"Why would they go there?" Alirah asked.

"There's been strange happenings there lately." Snow White nervously replied, fiddling with her dress. "People seem to go missing whenever they venture too close." Alirah blinked baffled. "It is said my Step-Mother's spirit haunts the halls." Now she had to sneer and roll her eyes. _Another castle haunted by a spurned Queen?_ She will cash in all of her chips if she hears Tremaine is haunting Cinderella's old house! _Wait...is she even dead?_ She can only hope.

"Charming came by to check on Snow White, making sure she was okay." Happy continued with the story. "Sneezy, Bashful, and Doc volunteered to help him see what was going on…" He trailed off with a shiver, putting his hands on his elbows. "That was three days ago. We haven't heard from them." Alirah gasped with wide eyes. It might have been shortened in the memory world, or seemed short because she had Hiano at the time, but Alirah knows if anyone is gone for three days without word it means something terrible happened.

"Alirah, I know this is sudden-" Snow White began.

"Say no more." Alirah rose to her feet. Time to cash in on that favor she owes to Snow. She put a fist to her heart, vowing there and now, "I'll bring them back. You guys just wait here." The last thing she needs is them getting capture too.

"Dont'cha need a guide?!" Happy insisted.

"Nope. I know the way." She winked.

"Thank you." Snow White got up and smushed Alirah in a hug. "You're as sweet as before."

"Snow…!" Alirah whined.

 **xxx**

Xaldin, stroking his chin with intrigue, wished to venture to this castle as well. Perhaps, with the exception of the princess, there are strong hearts to be had there. And a haunting...that certainly sounds entertaining. He turned his head. From atop the tree, he could make out the spire towers of a castle in the distance. The intended destination no doubt. Perhaps Xaldin should venture there first, get a good lay of the land before Alirah has a chance to arrive. The breeze about the forest grew into a mild gust, running along Xaldin's braided locks. Leaves broke from their branches in a thin sheet. From within that sheet, Xaldin vanished without a trace.

 **xxx**

"HM!" Alirah shot a sharp glare to the treeline behind her. Nothing was there. Yet...she got the strange tingling that someone was watching them. She tucked hairs behind her ear, stopping the wind from blowing it in her face. She knit her brow. The wind felt...odd. Her eyes shaded to gold. She skimmed the trees. She gaped in awe of the swirl of silver aura nestled in the trees. Silver...like the very wind. Only one person has an aura like that. "Dilan?"

 **xxx**

 _Clack, clack, clack, clack -_ ebony boots came sauntering down a corridor, the black cloak flapping in their stride. glowing streams of moonlight broke through the window, brushing tenderly to a full head of long, flowing lunar sheen hairs. Nostrils flared at the pungent scent of mold and fecal matter. Deplorable. As castle, there should be servants wandering every corner of the halls to take care of the filth riddling this grand home. Regardless if they have been changed into household appliances. "Hmm…" That is when the figure's golden eyes spotted a void plastered to a wall shaped like the bust of a previous owner off to the side. He need not study it long to know it was moved. The purpose had to be for that small tunnel near the floor in the wall. A secret passage? Pretty common in old castles. Though it is puzzling why the boy and those servants he travels with are-

" _RRROOOAAARRR!_ " The distinct roar of a wild animal reverberated the hallway. The figure was impassive to the boorish roar, but was grinning when he pieced it together. _You are avoiding the master of this domain._

" _Please calm down! Everything will be fine!_ " Came a woman's voice to coat the roar. The two were remarkably close by. Sounded as though they were heading opposite of him though.

The figure knit his brow, finding this to be an interesting turn of events. The boy and servants are looking for a mystical rose...and the master is coming unhinged because of it. And is currently heading in the wrong direction. If he recalls correctly. The boy detected a strong darkness in one of the attics. He should head there. "I wonder…" He turned on his heels. He strolled with a finger curled to his chin in thought, "What sort of powers might this rose possess?"

 **xxx**

"Grr! Gah! Ergh! MEH!" Riku grunted animally squeezing himself into the narrow ways within the castle walls. Narrow, dusty, and Riku swears if there are spiders getting free riders on his legs again, he will blow the whole castle to smithereens. Little shortcuts the servants recall from days when children would run around the castle. They'd used little secret passageways they discovered into order to hide from their parents. Chip uses them all the time to get out of taking baths. That just stressed the emphasis on LITTLE! Riku knows he's not slender or fat, but man did trying to fit into those passageways make him wanna cut back on the sweets at night. He's always had a good metabolism. Someone told him once that he was a little skinny for his age. If they saw him now… "How much further, you guys?!" He snarled at the Clock, Candle, Teapot and Cup ahead of him. Figures they would fit perfectly into these holes.

"Not much further now, dear!" Mrs. Potts reassured him. "Stiff up a little and press on!" _Press on._ Easy for her to say. She isn't pushing on six feet with lean muscle.

The route to the West Wing was anything but direct. In fact, the pathways that bridge the worlds together are a hop, skip, and jump compared to the labyrinth Riku was dragged on. But it was the price he was willing to pay in order to reach a section of attic where this Court Composer Forte stayed. Riku has been helping the servants chase down the heartless that stole Beast's rose from his room. He sensed a strong gathering of darkness coming from that general direction, and was confident that's where they will find the rose. It would be tricky, but there was a plan to dupe the rose right from their claws and get it back to Beast before long. Hard to believe the guy hasn't noticed it missing. He was a little scared that the servants were taking him to a basement where some sort of executioner awaits to lop of his head the moment he pops out from whatever crevice they emerge from. Might just be the Beast considering the servants are dead set on Riku sneaking his way in instead of just taking him through the front way.

The West Wing is a major no-no for outsiders in Beast's Castle. He hardly permits the servants to enter and they've lived with him since he was a child. Belle was nearly attacked the last time she went up there. Ended up running out of the castle and getting attacked by wolves. The West Wing is not only where Beast's room is, it's also where he keeps his rose at all times. Should anything unfortunate befall the rose, he and the servants will never be able to become human again. Therefore he limits as much exposure to the rose as he can. No one but him and Cogsworth are allowed near it. He trusts them enough. With all his heart. Truly. But he's so desperate to become human again...he would exile his own parents from it. God rest their souls. However, Riku was already on the receiving end of Beast's terrifying strength just from walking through the front door. If he's seen heading for his room...Riku will have to get very physical with Beast. And that will ruin whatever progress he's made just to be able to wander the castle.

"Here we are!" Lumiere announced animatedly. Riku released an impatient groan of relief. Contradictory, yes. But he was so done with being crushed, and crawled on by bugs. The sooner he gets out of that hole the better. Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere made a human ladder - so to speak. Lumiere undid a latch and pushed a door open. A the slam to hard floor echoed for a little while. Must be a big room. Riku thanked the stars. The door looked big enough for him to fit through. Lumiere jumped out first. He helped Cogsworth, then they helped Mrs. Potts. Riku gave Chip a lift up, then slithered out himself. He's glad he let his arms out first. The hole was smaller than it looked. All in all, he was able to climb out. Lumiere and Cogsworth lent him a hand. Or...whatever those are in place of hands. He slid on his knees, closing the door behind him. He dusted himself of the filth he dragged along, praying that that rancid smell wasn't coming from him. He gave a little sniff. He cringed. He senses a few six hours baths in his future.

"Whoa…" Riku's head tilted so far up he felt the joint linking his skull to his spine snapping. His glistening eyes went so wide that they would fall out of his sockets. He jaw dropping further than the basement in the splendor of the enormous atrium that is the attic of the West Wing. "There really are things that can still impress me." He stated dumbfounded. See now, when they said _attic_ he was expecting a room cluttered ceiling to floor with old junk that no one was using anymore. Maybe the size of a couple of living rooms. This place could be a three story home with six bedrooms, five baths, and an indoor pool and jacuzzi and there would still be room for a lawn. It was amazing. And in good shape compared to other rooms the Beast shredded during his fits. A few torn curtains, but nothing too bad.

"Are you sure the Heartless brought the rose up here?" Cogsworth's inquiry ripped Riku out of his trance.

Riku shook his head, coming back to reality. "Huh! Uh, yeah! They're here!" He reassured them, and mentally chastised himself for drifting off. The darkness was at its ripest here in this room.

Not much to speak about the room besides its size...and the small stairwell leading up to...a remarkable leviathan pipe organ chained to the furthest wall. "No way…" As if led by a leash, Riku was drawn to the magnificent instrument, enslaved by its rapturous bronze pipes climbing the back wall. Riku may not seem the type, but he possesses a strong appreciation for various forms of art, certain era based antiquities, and he is drawn like a moth to flame by the unique and grand. Castles, weapons like the ones Captain Hook had, Jafar's garments - Riku subtly and silently admired those. This grand pipe organ had him drooling. The arrangement of the pipes was similar to a crown that sits upon a king's head. The regality of the pacard at the top would have been all the more splendid if it had a crest or some form of adornment to fill that void. Such a shame. He wasn't able to resist running his hands to the sanded, waxed mahogany body work, lost in a daze on how gorgeous it was in the midst of all the dust. The body was the soul base keep this instrument planted and erect. Not excluding the hooks or stage. He guesses those are okay. The keys though. Those really tormented him. He let his fingertips ghost over them. He reveled in how shiny and almost new they looked. This was a work of art that was being preserved for the ages. "I wonder if it still works…" He thought aloud. The keys were begging to be pressed. It couldn't hurt, right? Just one little... _baahhrr!_ Jolts shot from his nerves and he flinched back. His heart skipped two beats. It was loud...and it worked. "Ha-ha!" That was cool. He bit on his lower lip...looked around like that kid who knew he would get scolded for breaking into the cookie jar. He pressed two more keys, played a small jingle, and got it all out of his system with a little jingle.

A baritone laugh filled the hall. "Oh, young man, please be careful where you touch me~." A man's voice cooed. RIku froze like a deer in the headlights. "I'm quite sensitive."

"AHH!" Riku leapt away with precise agility, landing several feet away from the steps to the organ. He summoned Souleater, fuming as he searched for who just spoke.

"Up here." Riku looked up. He was was stricken by the viper fangs of awe as he saw a face appeared on the plate. A very refined, noble face he might add. "Do forgive me for startling you, young man. It is just…" He gave a kind of unnerving giggling the had Lumiere and the others wanting to run. He's cheeks turned a shade of red, "Well, let's just say you are very forward with your finger ministrations."

"Oh! Um! I'm...I'm so sorry! I couldn't help myself!" He stammered, tripping over his tongue and going beet red. He really hopes that doesn't mean he was touching this guy...below the belt. He frowned at the snickering coming from behind him. Lumiere and company just found that so funny. Riku had completely forgotten that everyone in the castle is a human turned object. And they just told him that a court composer friend of theirs was made into a pipe organ. A big...gorgeous...pipe organ. "Are you the guy named...Forte? The Castle's Famous Musician?" Eloquence of words is not in his repertoire The organ was charmed nonetheless. He was laughing. That's always a good sign,

"Indeed I am. Good evening, young man." He bowed graciously. He snickered again when Riku attempted a formal bow. The boy is rickety, but it was adorable to see him try nonetheless."Welcome to my own corner of this pleasant abode. I am Maestro Forte. Court Composer and Confidant to the Master." He showed no shame in extending his title. "I am pleased my reputation precedes me."

"Your friends actually filled me in on my way here." Riku didn't mean to stamp on his ego. He's just radically honest about things. However...Lumiere and the others neglected to mention this guy has an ego bigger than Hades'. Very full of himself.

"Apparently not on everything." He huffed haughtily. "You are very lacking in manners, young man." Riku raised a curious brow. "I introduced myself. It is only proper I know the name of someone who assaulted my sweet keys."

Riku was going dizzy from all this heat rising to his face. _Does he have to say it like that?!_ "Oh...um...I'm Riku. I'm...acquaintances with The Beast and Belle." Yeah, he knows better than to call them his friends. He's that uninvited house guest they want to be rid of very soon.

"Yes, you are the talk of the castle." Forte felt a familiar tingle on his tongue ruminating on the name. For days he listened to the lesser servants of the castle "The young man who absconded with our beloved princess and her friend deins to return." Riku felt the chill there. Might be due to Forte not having eyes in his sockets. It's like staring into the abyss. And he's been there a couple of times. He'd really rather not see it in someone's eyes. "I am surprised you're in one piece." Apparently he heard about Beast nearly tearing him apart too. Well informed for a guy who supposedly can't leave. "Tell me, what brings you up here?"

"I'm helping the castle servants look for that rose Beast keeps in his room. We tracked it here." Forte's expression scrunched in distaste. The Rose is missing? This is the first he's heard of it. Would explain why everyone has been restless for so long. "Have you seen any heartless around?"

"Heartless?" He can't say he's familiar with the term. But something does come to mind. "Do you mean those annoying creatures that scamper about?"

"That would be them."

"Yes." He snarled in revulsion. "They went into the tower just through here." He turned his body as best as he could. A door to his right opened on command. A stairway was leading further up. Any higher and Riku might develop a bad fear of heights. "Those blasted creatures have made their nest here. Always returning after being gone for a certain amount of time." Riku shared a triumphant glance with the servants. They are in the right place. "I trust your inquiry means you intend to deal with them."

"Right away." Riku promised him sternly. Forte was amused by his candor and bravery. He can sense valor wafting from this boy. Riku politely excused himself, motioning for Lumiere and the others to come along. They were already hopping and waddling past him, darting up the stairs. Riku went after them...trying his hardest not to give attention to the figure lurking in the shadows on the other side of the room. He recognizes the scent. _First Ansem...now this guy._ He'll have to deal with him later. He needs to focus on the task at hand. "Thank you, Maestro Forte. We'll finish up quick." He assured him, closing the door behind him.

"Godspeed, my boy!" Forte cheered. The door clicked, his footsteps drowned out. Forte's face became hued with malice. A sinister chuckle reverberating his throat. "You will most certainly need it." He cast his chuckle to his left, spying dancing twin shadows around a glistening rose. The shadows consumed the rose, taking it to where they pleased. "Do try not to let them suffer too much my pets."

 **xxx**

Alirah had it right. The castle was much closer last time because she rode on Hiano. A lot of things were closer because Hiano was always with her. Never far away. Right on scene when she needs him... _was I...am I ever there when he needs me?_

The long walk was bringing on a variety of suppressed feelings she didn't realize were even there. She often appreciates the alone time. Gives her a chance to really consider what she's done with her life, the people she's come across, how she and everyone has changed, and...whether or not this is going to be something wants to do for the rest of her life. The keyblade thing, that is. Traveling? Oh yeah, she wants to do that for as long as she can. But she doesn't want the Keyblade on her hip, weighing her down. She wants...Hiano to be there. Like...like he's always been.

 _I shouldn't have left you!_ Times like this are when she dislikes being alone because she'll start making a noose out of her guilt. And she has a lot of it. Abandoning Hiano is the crown of her guilt. She'd reach into her pocket to find solace in knowing he was right there. Her heart would break off a chunk when she felt nothing, remembering that she left him behind with Mickey...vanishing in the middle of the night with barely a word. Traveling from world to world, leaving before long so he wouldn't be able to find her or Riku. She's going through incredible lengths to ensure he can't find her. She...she won't be able to look him in the eye and tell him to go away! Or take him back. She...she doesn't deserve him.

 _I had to leave you! You don't deserve to have such a pathetic master!_ She stopped and slammed the side of a fist into a tree. She squeezed her eyes closed. Her other hand balled into a fist. _I don't deserve you!_ A hiss gargled when she suppressed a scream of self loathing. She hung half her body in revulsion for herself. She inherited Hiano's keyblade out of all the other potential keyblade masters in the known worlds. An unknown force with a sick sense of humor behind Keyblade Administration chose her to be Hiano's Master. Years and years of training and hard work later, when she reached her lowest point, she develops the ability to summon him. From there on in he was hers and she was his. He would serve her, she would be the vessel that houses him. They shared each other's pain, their minds were linked, they lend one another their strength, they compensate for one when the other is weakened, and they shared an affinity for pranks and spying. A wyvern wasn't chewing at molting scales without one of them knowing. They were the epitome of symbiosis. Jafar and Iago, Ursula and Flotsam and Jetsam, Maleficent and Diablo - no one had a relationship like theirs. No one would be able to compare. Then...the unthinkable happens. She passes a test she didn't know was in progress. For conquering the darkness of her past, for taming the rampant powers within her, and for expelling the evils in her heart...Yensid named her a Keyblade Master. Hiano was henceforth the partner to...a Keyblade Master. The pressure to meet the expectations she knew Hiano had of her...became too much. Because...in truth...she hadn't conquered anything.

 _I'm not worthy to be a Master._ She proceeded through the forest, her head hung in shame. _I'm not worthy...to be your master._ So what if she faced down a bunch of illusions in a castle full of them! Big deal! It doesn't erase from the slate what she's done! Who she's hurt! The friends she betrayed for her own selfish gains! That's all still there! It will always be there! It won't go away because she's making all of these grandiose apologies! Not that - lets have her be honest with herself - that she's even going on this trip to apologize to everyone, or help keep Sora safe! NO! She knows full well her one intention for going to all the worlds is so that she can learn what happened to Terra, Aqua, and Ven! Having people forgive her is just a bonus! Just like before, it's all for those three...who won't be able to stomach looking at her when they learn what she did. She'll be alone again. Like she always is. Why Hiano chose her is a mystery. Why the Keyblade chose her is an even bigger mystery! She doesn't deserve either of them! She doesn't deserve Riku, Kairi, Donald, Aerith - NONE OF THEM! She...she should just fade into dark-

"OOF!" A moss drenched wall met her nose unpleasantly. See, this is why Alirah should chasiste herself when she's stationary. She runs into things too much. She groaned irritably, rubbing her throbbing nose. She glared at the wall, wondering what idiot left it in the middle of the forest! "Oh…" She felt dumb. She meandered to the arch in the wall, finding herself in a familiar courtyard. She was at the castle already. Guess it's not that long of a trip after all. Especially when you're cursing yourself. No real surprise. It was in the same bad shape as the last time. Though she thinks the trees sprouting from the walls are new. She can't be sure. Not that the decor mattered. "Hmm…" Goosebumps were running over her skin. The hairs standing on her neck tased the muscle beneath. She can't sense it. The darkness seeping from the veins of this forgotten home, crawling up her skin like a starved beggar. And she had a bad feeling she knew where it was coming from. Her head craned up to the window of the Evil Queen's room. "UGH!" Her heart stopped for a second. The curtains...they were parted...the Queen herself with envy green eyes glared down at her. Hatred was roaring form her stare. Alirah's skin was peeling! She closed her eyes, shook her head screaming that it wasn't possible, and then looked up. The Queen was gone. The curtains were undisturbed. "What...what was…" She lost for breath. The terror that glare elicited...she was genuinely scared! But...why?

" _Is something wrong?_ "

Alirah became rooted. Her eyes widened at the voice. "Aqua…" The world around her was drowned into a haze. She slowly turned her head. The pounding of her heart was in her ears. She was trembling when she saw the well...and around it was Aqua...and Prince Charming. "Aqua…?" She trembled, her feet dragging. Aqua and Charming were carrying on a conversation. Snow White's name was dropped, but Alirah was to enwrapped in Aqua's presence to hear them. There was a voice in the back of her mind telling her to stop! it wasn't real! She should know Aqua isn't there. Her wounded heart ignored her senses. "Aqua...is that…" She reached for her. Her heart sank when her hand went through her. She looked at it confused. Aqua was standing right there but...but she… "Oh...right…" Alirah...Alirah let it slip her mind. The Aqua she was looking at...she lost substance...became see through. This isn't Aqua. And it isn't Charming. The two faded away, bringing Alirah back to reality. It was an illusion brought about by the intense darkness and emotions lingering here at this castle. Just like Maleficent's, the darkness is replaying moments for Alirah. This one was relatively short. Must of have been much of a meeting. Or, if Aqua didn't meet the Queen like she did Maleficent, there isn't much to be said. At least not in the courtyard.

"It's almost pathetic how you keep falling for this trick."

"Shut up, will ya!" She hissed, marching past the Xehanort Shadow. She was not in the mood for her inner mancer's crap. It chuckled and faded away for the time being. Seriously, of all the faces it could have picked. Not that it wasn't right. How many more times is Alirah going to let herself be tricked before she accepts that they aren't there?

 **xxx**

Violent pounding came at a door that was caked shut with years of moss and decay around the arch. The sealant was more stubborn than any adhesive come across. So sturdy it could withstand a bull. Riku got in a running start. He drove a flying kick that took the door right off its hinges, bringing it to the floor with a deafening _CLAP_! The average sized room was jostled free of worn flakes and dust. Riku grunted at piles of it sprinkling to his head and cloak. He dusted himself clean, wishing he had asked Diz if the cloaks were dry clean only or if he can throw the thing in some water and clean it. Not that he'll be able to get rid of the smell.

Putting that at the back of his mind, this room was standing out as a real attic. Boxes of old stuff lying around like it should be. Hopefully somewhere in this clutter is the rose. Do Heartless even know how to pack things in boxes? "Hey! Hey! Look up there! Look up there!" Chip was bouncing up and down like crazy, flipping his little handle at the beams. Riku really needs to stop getting distracted with dumb thoughts. A slab of old stone might hit him in the head one day. Riku peered up to the beams, gasping as he spotted the rose sitting precariously out in the open. Begging for some poor fool to come and take it back. Riku's sharpened his gaze to the transparent streams swirling to the bell jar. Heartless are guarding it.

"There! All we have to do is get it!" Cogsworth announced. He waddled for the boxes. There is a stack that looks like it will take him up.

Riku picked up the anxious clock, wrestling with his fit of protests. "Please remember the plan." He droned with a half smile. Cogsworth stopped fidgeting and was blushing at having neglected the plan they hatched. He sincerely doubts it will work. But it is not as if they have another plan. Riku winked to Chip, and they got into character. "Welp, there it is! The rose! But it's _really_ too high for me to get." He laid on the exaggerations thick. He was a keyblade wielder. Not an actor. Ironic considering the facade he played to dupe Sora. Another bad memory.

"Me too!" Chip sounded happy go lucky, though he wouldn't fool anyone with half a brain cell. He frowned tediously. "And to be honest, I'm getting bored with all of this."

"I agree." Lumiere flipped his candlestick in the air in mock surrender. "This game has really lost its charm!"

"Utterly ridiculous!" Mrs. potts huffed, putting her nose to the air.

"I wanna go play outside now." Chip insisted.

"Then let's go." Cogsworth decided. He jumped out of Riku's hand, waddling for the door. "Whoever is playing this game is a cheater at best." He stood off to the side, allowing his friends to exit first. "Cheaters are not welcome!"

Riku waited with Cogsworth, fighting the smile tugging at his lips. It was small, but he felt a spark in the darkness surrounding the rose. Lumiere left first, then Mrs. Potts. The darkness was becoming agitated. A mischievous kid who wants adults to see him causing problems and is being completely ignored. Just a little more. Chip went after his mom, Cogsworth soon followed, then Riku was taking his leave. The shadows lost their minds with anger. They abandoned the rose, lashing out viciously. Swords resembling chinese finger traps unsheathed from the cloak, their tips just seconds from tearing Riku's flesh from his bones. Riku was too fast for the sword. He whipped around, raising Souleater perpendicular to him, catching the swords. He pressed his other hand to Souleater's blade, fortifying his stance as he fought against the dual attacks. "GOTCHA!" He boasted. He can't see what heartless it was yet, but now the advantage was his. He edged forward, wrenching his keyblade hard to the side. The swords were diverted. Riku released a haze of blackened ice and snow with a thrust of his palm. The obscured shadow was covered in a deathly sheet of ice, sent hurtling right into a stack of boxes. A couple fell upon it, robbing the mystery heartless of its cloak. "What?!" Riku had not seen this coming. It wasn't A heartless. It was two! Twins that were a black, red, and yellow version of Trickmaster. "THE JOKESTERS! Trick Master's spawns!" He wondered what happened to these two. While they weren't as big as their deceased predecessor, those two had five feet on Riku. And the muscle to boot. The twins shook off the ice. It melted instantly into a puddle at their hides. They both grabbed their swords in opposite hands. They stood back to back with one hand behind, and the swords angled outward. Riku rolled his eyes. He forgot that these two fence. There isn't nearly enough room here to fight. And that rose wasn't safe up there...or anywhere near here. "Alright, time for a new game! Alley Oop!" He barked. He was astonished that Lumiere and Cogsworth knew what he was talking about. The two raced to Riku and jumped as high as they could. Riku laid Souleater flat. Cogsworth and Lumiere touched down and then were catapulted up onto the beams.

"MADE IT!" The pair cheered. The Jokesters hissed aggravated at the pair. They shifted their stances to go after them.

"Stay away from them!" Riku commanded. He angled Souleater. He placed two fingers at the hilt, summoning a brimming silver aura. He ran both finger along the blade, striking the tip like a match to tinder. Crescent blades shrieked from the blade, slicing into the Jokesters. They staggered under the assault. Their origami bodies were getting shredded. They stabbed their swords to the floor. A light shined, consuming them in shadows again. Distorted space was discerned from the background, seen making a break for the stairs.

"They are escaping!" Cogsworth exclaimed.

"I'll deal with them! You guys get that rose back to Beast's room!" Riku ordered.

"You can count on us, Mon Capitaine!" Lumiere saluted. He and Cogsworth pushed the bell jar over. Riku caught it, then handed it to Mrs. Potts and Chip. They nodded to him, guaranteeing they've got it from there. Riku bolted downstairs, getting after those twins.

 **xxx**

Unlike before, Alirah didn't take a walk down memory lane. She headed straight for the Evil Queen's room, covering her ears to the overlapping voices. Her and Terra, the Queen screaming at the mirror, Snow White's singing. That part wasn't too bad. She needs to get a grip on this fast or her head was going to tear her apart. By the time she reached The Evil Queen's room, and had slammed the door closed, the voices just stopped. She released a breath in relief of the silence massaging her ears. She supported herself to the wall by her elbows. Sweat was dripping down her face. Those voices were just screaming at her. The harder she tried to tune them out...they're relentless. She doesn't know why they stopped when she reached the room, but she's grateful.

Alirah proceeded further into the room, shying from the cobwebs caked to everything. When she reached the middle of the room, her eyes immediately locked onto...the magic mirror?! A fully repaired, not a scratch on it magic mirror she saw shatter itself with her own eyes. "The mirror?! Its intact? But how?" She rushed to it, jumping the steps to reach it. It has to be another illusion. SHe placed her hands to the glass. The cold sent jolts up her arms. It was real! And...she can sense magic within it. The Spirit, maybe? But he said he had fulfilled his purpose! He broke himself so that he would be free of the Queen and the castle. "What's going on around here?!" Could someone have fixed the mirror? "Hmm…" Her brow knit. The shadows shifting to the far side of the mirror did not elude her. Alirah spun to a crouch, a dart of condensed ice shot from her sleeve.

The assailant shoved himself further in his narrow space. The dart hit the wall near him, exploding into a cloud of mist. The assailant succumbed to a fit of coughs. His lungs and eyes burned from the sub zero spell. He fanned the mist, escaping to somewhat fresher air. He bat his eyes free of the ice, dry heaving with a growl. "WHAT?! WHERE?!" He was stunned by the empty space at the mirror, then was rigid at pressure in his back. "Impossible." Alirah, with her golden eyes ignited, was right behind him. Oblivion was touching his spine. Black and red mist swarmed at the keyhead, anxious to blow a hole right through him. The assailant swam with denial, unable to willfully accept that he lost the upper hand so easily. He didn't even sense her.

"Losing your touch in your old age, Dilan?" She mocked her hooded stalker.

He remained still a moment, debating a counter move in the wake of a spell aimed right at his back. He could surely dodged it, regain a proper foothold against her. He chuckled to himself. Why spoil her fun? Besides, she was on the nose about his identity. "You got the drop on me. This has never happened." He removed his hood, keeping his hands where Alirah could see them. She was taken aback by how wild his dreadlocks had become. His sideburns were another inch or so from forming a full beard and mustache. Good thing that didn't happen. He's not a beard or mustache person. "I was certain you were too enthralled by the mirror."

"Hmph. Maybe I was right about the old age." She scoffed, insulted he thought so little of her. "It seems you've forgotten who it was who taught me to...how did you put it?" She sarcastically touched a finger to her chin, pretending to ponder, " _Obscure my intentions._ "

Xaldin chuckled nostalgically. He has vampire fangs now. Being a Nobody changes more than the person's personalities it seems. "That was a fun time between us."

 **xxx**

" _To the victor goes the spoils." A royal flush was splayed across the castle library's second floor table, and the pot of chips went to Dilan...for the tenth game in a row. "My win again, Alirah!"_

" _AWWW!" Six year old Alirah threw her cards at the table, sinking into a rosy cheeked pout. She had a two of a kind._

" _Do not be so discouraged, My Dear. You're doing well." Dilan tried to placate her, flipping a chip mockingly between his fingers. "Shall we go another round? I sense a victory for you at hand." He hid it well, but he was taunting her. He and Braig love to tease her about how she's bad at games that involve bluffing, or any sort of contest involving accuracy. Something about her having too honest a face, and that her spells are too big for her to aim properly. They were worse than Lea and Isa. She can't wait for when she's older and she's tall enough to kick them in the butt._

" _You know I suck at cards!" She jumped up on her seat, too short for the already considered short table. She planted her small hands to the table, leaning in with an adorable scowl._ " _I don't see what you and Aeleus like about them." She really does suck at poker, blackjack, rummy - she hates cards._

" _Playing cards takes discipline." Dilan poked her in the forehead with two fingers. She plopped back to her butt, huffing with pursed lips. She hasn't quite mastered that yet either. "Learning to control one's self and their physiological reactions in the face of defeat or misfortune if key to any game of bluffs._

" _You're using too many big words there." She childishly retorted, giving her stink eye to a crack in the floor._

 _Dilan chuckled at how childish she is. He took a chip and flicked it. It rebound off that hard skull of hers. She growled at him, rubbing where it hit. Dilan saw victory in regaining her attention. "Always remember: your expressions and body language reveal more than your words." He pressed a single finger to the middle of her forehead._ " _If you sneer, I know you are rankled. Biting your lip says you are nervous." Alirah obliged him with a sneer just because she hates how smart he is. And she doesn't bite her lip when she's nervous...does she?_ " _And depending on how you shift your stances, I will know if you mean to attack or defend." Explains why he scooted his chair back. Alirah's been fluttering her legs to kick him for a while now. He didn't take her impetuous behavior to heart. He knew she was listening. She is a good student. Merlin sings her praises. Dilan got up from his seat, going to Alirah and kneeling to her._ " _Remember this well, Alirah," He turned her so she would give him her full attention. He tilted her chin up,_ " _Your enemy cannot counter," He snuck a quick flick to her forehead. She snarled at him, holding her hands at the spot,_ " _If they cannot see your intentions." He laughed at her._

" _YOU SUCK, DILLY-LOCKS!"_

 **xxx**

"I am pleased You haven't forgotten." He praised her. She is still the dutiful student. Alirah snorted gruffly, removing Oblivion from his back. Xaldin was quite perplexed by this move. She sheathed her weapon, meandering past him without a care in the world. "Removing your weapon from your enemy?" He questioned the tactic. Is she plotting something? Luring him into a false sense of security? It is worth noting that she has become rather ruthless these past few years. "It appears you need another lesson." He added an ominous hum to his words.

"You could have taken me down any time you wanted." She stated with a nonchalant flick of her hand, returning back to the mirror. "You were the one watching me from the tree, after all." _And in the forest..._

Xaldin was completely caught off guard. She did notice him. "I am here only to observe. I am on a mission." He stated.

"I've heard." She growled, keeping her focus on the mirror.

Xaldin arched a brow. _She...knows?_ What does she know? How does she know it? Alirah was brushing her fingers along the mirror, tracing at the sill of the frame and glass obsessively. The artwork in the framing. It bothered her with how immaculate it was. She would ground her fingers, disturbed that there wasn't a speck of dust to be found. She scooted her foot on the stone floor, expecting to find something and didn't. She was absolutely baffled. Xaldin, curious to what has her so engrossed, moved in closer. He stayed at the bottom of the steps, observing her further. "I take it this mirror is not in the proper state." She did seem disturbed by it when she arrived.

"You'd be right. I watched this mirror shatter for myself a while ago." She curled a hand to her chin, looking for something other than hers and Xaldin's reflection to show. "How did it repair itself? Was there still magic trapped inside?"

"It's a magic mirror?" He's never heard of such a thing.

"Yeah. Which means…" Xaldin observed from the side, intrigued by what she had up her sleeve. Alirah took a couple steps back. She summoned Oblivion. She slashed at the mirror. A scratch gleamed as it set in, then vanished without a trace. Alirah put her hand to where it was, brow knitting aggravated. There be magic within. Powerful magic. Time for another test. " _Spirit of the mirror, come from the farthest space. Through wind and darkness I summon thee. SPEAK!_ " Xaldin defensively retreated, forearm raised toward the emanating power. Lighting struck inside the mirror, and an unusual wind began to blow. This is a wind unlike any the Nobody has experienced. The mirror was ablaze with fire. " _Show me thy face!_ "

The mirror heeded its chant, coming back to life at its beckoning. A phantom like opera mask of a face appeared in the mirror from the blackness. "Amazing…" Xaldin gasped in awe. _When did she become so adept with magic?_

"Who are you?" Alirah heatedly demanded to know. Xaldin was baffled by the question. Was this not what she was looking for? If he could read her mind, he'd know that the spirit of the mirror had a male face. This one was female. Shaped much like her predecessor, only the crux of the head was a crown. "You're not the spirit of the mirror!" She hissed.

"A very astute guess, My Dear. I am not." The false spirit snickered at her. Then it stopped...humming pensively as it ran its hollow eyes up and down Alirah. Her focus lingering the most on the keyblade, her hair, and her eyes. "I know you from somewhere." Alirah lost face at this. She can feel the hard stare piercing into her soul. The false spirit tearing her apart to find out why she was familiar. "Yes...I remember you." For an instant, Alirah regressed into a precocious youth with a horrible sense of attire. "You're that girl from before! The one that dared attack me!"

Alirah's jaw dropped. Terror gripped her when she discovered who this spirit was. As impossible as it is, there's not other explanaination. "You're Snow White's Step-Mom!" The Evil Queen...has became the mirror spirit! Alirah stretched her keyblade out at her, summoning blackened ice to the tip. "Looks like Maleficent isn't the only one who knows how to stay dead!"

"I AM THE QUEEN OF THIS REALM! So shall I remain!" She howled shrilly. "Death will not stop me! And neither will you!" He hollowed eyes filled with a light that then flooded the glass. Alirah yelped aloud, cowering away behind an arm at the blinding light filling the room.

Xaldin growled animally, shielding his eyes with his sleeve. He squinted hard to peer forward, wanting to see what this _spirit_ intended. He gaped in shock. Alirah's body was coated by the same light. She was then she shrunk into a glowing ball and sucked right into the mirror. The spirit and Alirah had both vanished, leaving the mirror in its original reflective state. Within it...Xaldin saw himself...and how he was positioned to where he was...going to rush to her was surprised by himself, gawking stricken at the palm he extended to lend her help. The phantom palm of a little girl placed itself in his hand. That little hand that trusted him, a stranger, to save her from any danger that may come. Like he tried to do now. He actually tried to help her. He wanted to save her. But she was whisked away...again.

"Xaldin...you old fool." He bowed his head, folding his hands behind his back in shame. He squeezed at his wrist. He opened a black portal, and then he left without looking back or another word.

 **To be continued.**

 **I know, I know! Sue me! I will have these guys out of these worlds next chapter! I just needed this posted so you guys know I haven't forgotten you. I was finishing my Epic Mickey and Sofia the First fics.**

 **Till next time.**


	19. Calling for Support

_**Hello, everyone.**_

 _ **I am sorry, but this is not an update for new installments or my plans for futre chapters with fics, or future fics I plan to write. This is me calling on for some help. You guys are all very familair with the alerts you get for when someone you favorited updates a story, yes? Well, when the writers update, we're supposed to get an email confirming that the chapter was uploaded. Those haven't been showing up, so we have no clue if our chapters are making it or not. Yes, our pages say they have, but we've experienced that FF isn't always in sync with itself. So our pages say "You updated" but our emails and fans say otherwsie. If any of you are favorited to someone and you are getting spams of emails with same chapter uploads, this is the reason why. This is where I need your help. WIth me and anyone else that you are subscirbed to, review and or PM them to let us know that the chapter is there. Often what also happens is that you guys submit reviews and we don't get those emails either. You can also help by emailing support and telling them to get their act together and fix these bugs.**_

 _ **Thanks. See you soon.**_


	20. Slower Updates

**Slower Updates**

 **Hey everyone! Another note that will be deleted after a while. So you better read it while you can. :) Anyway, someone made a comment that my updates are taking longer than usual. High time I expalin.**

 **Recently, my mother got laid off from her job, leaving me and my dad as the only ones who can win the bread in the house. So I've been working six to practically seven days a week, getting every ounce of overtime that I can in order to ensure my parents don't freak out over bills, and to make sure my little brother is provided for. Not to mention there are my own bills to worry about. Yes, I live with my parents. I'm not ashamed. It's cheaper and they need my help! Make fun if you want.**

 **Also I recetnly got a speeding ticket and into a car accident, so there's that. Anyway, updates will be slower than usual until things calm down. BUT I want you guys to know something. Since they do take a while, I always have a rough draft in place with all dialogue ready. All I have to do is insert the storyline. A few of you might know what I'm talking about. You've caught at the end of my chapters, sometimes, where I have extra paragraphs and sentences after the TO BE CONTINUED sections. Those are roughs and ideas that I have in place.**

 **Here's my plan for the next few months. Below you will see a list of fics I will focus. They will be ranked 1 through five. 1 being closest to being finished, 5 being not even close. I'll even give a number of chapters so you guys know what to expect.**

 **1) Star Wars Rebels - 10 or less chapters left. Any fillers I have will be placed inside my episodic inserts. I'll have them run long so I don't keep breaking them into parts.**

 **2) TF Prime - Reconcile of a sin - maybe another 12 to 16. I'll try to keep it to 12. Again, I'll minimize fillers by putting them with actual chapters.**

 **3)** **Ancestral Vengeance -** **Yeah, this one is a real ways off. Especially since** **I'm going down the line of Sly's Ancestors, and trying to create missions and a plot to fit what I have planned for the finale. It's hard, but it's fun.**

 **4)** **Windu's hunter -** **this is the second to farthest because** **I'm having a hard time with the chronology. As everyone knows, Star Wars Clone Wars wasn't chronological with the series, and it's making it hard to write this. Plus I keep losing interest in concepts and rewriting. Plus I need to put Boba and Jango in the spotlight in this one.**

 **5) Memories of Darkness - don't even ask because if you'vep layed 358/2 Days, then you know how long this will be. I may end up brekaing off somewhere at the halfway point of 358/2 days because, remember, Riku gets older and so does everyone else, and I didn't really like the transitions to the aging in the game. So, my plan with the break off is to star another Kingdom Hearts Fic titled Road of Darkness inspiried by Aqua's tale in Birth By Sleep Vol. 2. After that one, Memories of Darkness - which will be changed into Climb of Darkness - will pick up from where I left off and we'll go from there. I'm really stretching these because I need KH3 to come so I can make sure my plot goes right. I have big plans for Alirah and Hiano.**

 **Next on my announcements, once I'm in a better spot with all my fics, I plan to start new ones and revive old ones. Gargoyles, Xiaolin Showdown, Epic Mickey, Sofia the First, and maybe Black Butler will be revived. When? No clue. On the new list is Lion Guard, Elena, Avengers Assemble, and maybe a TMNT 2003. Those are my plans in the future. If you want info on any of these, hit me up in the PM's. I'm happy to share my ideas with you, as well as get your guys' opinions on them. All of you have been really helpful with ideas, cirtics, and just being overall great fans. I count on you for more than just reviews, you know. ;)**

 **I hope this satisfies you guys. I want to give yo uthe best I can and not go half assed just to finish. My creativity is suffering lately. I won't post anyting I don't feel is my absolute best. Writing is more than a hobby. It's a passion. And you don't treat passions poorly.**


End file.
